CHAMP CENTRAL
WOMEN'S RESULTS
MEN'S RESULTS
VIDEO RECAP
PHOTO GALLERY
NEW YORK – The UConn women and Houston men were the winners of the 2015 American Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, which took place Friday and Saturday at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory in New York.
UConn took the women’s championship with 108 points, good for a 21.5-point margin over second-place UCF (86.5). UConn earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors, while Saija Bikanova earned Women’s Field Most Outstanding Performer honors for her efforts in the pentathlon. Temple’s Blanca Fernandez garnered the Women’s Track Most Outstanding Performer award.
SMU finished third on the women’s side with 83 points, while Cincinnati (71.5) and Memphis (61.5) rounded out the top five. Tulane (56.5), Tulsa (49), Houston (49), East Carolina (45), USF (27) and Temple (26) completed the field of 11.
The men’s championship came down to the final event of the weekend, the second section of the 4x400 relay. Entering the event, Tulsa held a one-point lead over both UConn and Houston for first place. In a thrilling finish, Houston made a last-second push past Tulsa to win The American championship by one point over the Golden Hurricane, 135-134.
UConn finished in third place with 131 points, while Cincinnati was fourth with 76.5. Memphis (71), USF (59.5) and East Carolina (49) rounded out the field.
USF’s Matthew O’Neal was named Men’s Field Most Outstanding Performer, while Tulsa’s Bryce Robinson earned the honor for men’s track. The Tulsa and Houston coaching staffs earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Temple’s Blanca Fernandez won the women’s mile in a meet-record time of 4:50.11. Fernandez held off UConn’s Laura Williamson (4:50.71) and SMU’s Holly Archer (4:51.92), who both surpassed last year’s meet record, which was held by Williamson.
Fernandez went on to win the women’s 3,000 in a meet-record time of 9:29.77. UCF’s Anne-Marie Blaney (2
nd, 9:31.13), UConn’s Lauren Sara (3
rd, 9:32.44) and Tulsa’s Olivia Lopez (4
th, 9:34.22) also surpassed the meet record set last year.
Tulsa’s Adam Palamar took the men’s mile in a meet-record 4:04.88, as the Golden Hurricane sophomore held off UConn’s Michael O’Donnell (4:06.36) and Memphis’ Corentin Louis (4:08.85). The top eight competitors in the event all broke last year’s meet record.
East Carolina’s Cheyenne Hutchinson won the women’s 60-meter hurdles in a meet-record 8.26. Houston’s Sade Mariah Greenidge matched her time from last year (8.32) en route to a second-place finish, while Cincinnati’s Je’Rica Sanders finished third (8.42).
Houston’s Isaac Williams tied the meet record (7.88) en route to a victory in the 60-meter hurdles. Cincinnati’s Bryan Cain (8.02) and Demonte Wilson of East Carolina (8.03) rounded out the top three.
Tulsa’s Audrey Jean-Baptiste took the women’s 400 in a meet-record 52.82. Tulane’s Lilla McMillan (53.34) was second, while Cincinnati’s Kenya Woodall (53.73) placed third.
Fellow Golden Hurricane Bryce Robinson won the men’s 400 in a meet-record 46.75. A pair of UConn runners finished second and third in meet-record times – Trentan Beram (47.57) and Dwight Davis (47.74).
Robinson went on to win the 200 in 21.01, also a meet record. Robinson made a strong push in the final 20 meters to pass Houston’s Leshon Collins, who finished second (21.13). UConn’s Patrick Hayes placed third (21.33).
Houston’s Bria Carter took the women’s 60-meter dash in 7.40, narrowly defeating UCF’s J’Nea Bellamy (7.42) and SMU’s Stephanie Kalu (7.43).
Another Cougar won the men’s 60-meter dash, as Leshon Collins defended his title with a time of 6.72. Tulsa’s Otugo Ananaba was second (6.83) while UConn’s Patrick Hayes finished third (6.86).
UConn’s Faith Dismuke finished first in the women’s 800 (2:07.99). Memphis’ Maya Williamson (2:08.18) was second in the 800 while UConn’s Kat Vodopia finished third (2:08.85).
Houston’s Drevan Anderson Kaapa won the men’s 800 for the second consecutive year, recording a winning time of 1:50.70, six-hundredths of a second ahead of second-place Elijah Silva of Tulsa (1:50.76). Simon Greiner of the Golden Hurricane finished third (1:50.92)
UCF took the women’s 4x400 relay (3:39.15), while Tulsa finished second (3:41.54) and Cincinnati placed third (3:43.35).
Tulane’s Lilla McMillan took the women’s 200-meter dash in 23.75, defeating East Carolina’s Tyshonda Hawkins (23.76) by one-hundredth of a second. Houston’s Kiersten Brewer placed third (23.93).
Memphis’ Luis Hanssler defended his title in the heptathlon with a score of 5,380. Hanssler was followed by Tigers teammate Marc Klaschka (5,130) and UConn’s Patrick Meyer (4,952).
Houston’s Cameron Cornelius defended his title in the men’s shot put with a meet-record 59-5/18.11m. Cornelius bested his winning throw from last year by .43 meters. The Houston sophomore defeated a pair of Memphis throwers – Yannik Schaly (57-10.5/17.64m) and Luke Vaughn (57-5.5/17.51m).
East Carolina’s Avion Jones won the men’s high jump with a meet-record leap of 7-0.25/2.14m. Jones’ mark bested a pair of UConn athletes – Demario Gray (6-7.5/2.02m) and Jake Almquist (6-6/1.98m).
In the women’s high jump, Erika Hurd of Cincinnati defended her conference title with a mark of 5-8.75/1.75m. Hurd edged out East Carolina’s Lauren Lubarski and Houston’s Diayja Sheppard (both 5-8.5/1.74m).
UConn’s Odrine Belot won the women’s triple jump, breaking her own meet record from a year ago with a mark of 42-2.25/12.86m. Belot narrowly defeated Memphis’ Chardae Greenlee (42-2/12.85m) and SMU’s Isabella Marten (42-1.5/12.84m), who also surpassed the meet record.
USF’s Matthew O’Neal broke the meet record on his way to winning the men’s triple jump (53-5.5/16.29m). A pair of Houston athletes finished second and third, as John Horton (50-6/15.39m) placed second and David Brown (49-3.75/15.03m) was third.
Cincinnati’s Frida Akerstrom set the meet record in the women’s shot put (52-6/16.00m). A pair of SMU throwers – Tochi Nlemchi (50-4.5/15.35m) and Rayann Chin (49-1.75/14.98m) – finished second and third.
The top three performers in each event earned all-conference honors in the respective events.
Awards
Men’s Track Most Outstanding Performer – Bryce Robinson, Tulsa
Men’s Field Most Outstanding Performer – Matthew O’Neal, USF
Women’s Track Most Outstanding Performer – Blanca Fernandez, Temple
Women’s Field Most Outstanding Performer – Saija Bikanova, UConn
Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year – Houston/Tulsa
Women’s Coaching Staff of the Year – UConn