University of Louisville
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Track and Field Completes Outdoor Season at NCAA Championships
June 11, 2011 | Men's Track and Field
June 11, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa - The University of Louisville track and field teams completed their outdoor season at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, with three athletes earning All-America honors in the shot put.
D'Ana McCarty, who placed eighth in the women's hammer throw on Friday, was the Cardinals' top finisher in the shot put on Saturday, taking 11th. McCarty, who had a toss of 16.22m/53-2.75, finishes an exceptional collegiate career with two NCAA indoor titles, becoming the Cardinals' first female national champion, eight All-America distinctions and six combined BIG EAST titles.
Khadija Abdullah placed 13th in the event, charting a throw of 16.18m/53-1, and Chinwe Okoro took 20th on a toss of 15.84m/51-11.75.
Collectively, the Cardinals tied with Arizona for the most athletes in the women's shot put with three.
The Cardinals close the NCAA Championships, with strong performances, highlighted by Matt Hughes repeating as the 3,000m steeplechase national champion. The senior not only shattered the school record that he set last year en route to winning his first title, but the Oshawa, Ontario, native also broke the Drake Stadium record (8:27.87) by crossing the finish line in 8:24.87. Currently, it is the fastest Canadian time and ranks as the 26th-fastest time in the world.
In addition to Hughes and McCarty, senior Rachel Gehret compiled a strong performance in the women's high jump. Clearing a career-best 1.83m/6-0, a mark that is tied for second best in school history, Gehret landed a fifth-place finish in the event to earn All-America honors. She ended her career by becoming the second female in program history to earn the distinction in the event, while capturing five combined BIG EAST titles.
Michael Eaton, a staple in the men's distance program, also brings his career to a close at the NCAA Championships. The Bowling Green, Ky., native earned All-America honors in the 10,000m on Friday after previously earning the accolade in 2008, when he finished 13th in the event. On the cross country side, Eaton garnered four all-region honors and was a three-time all-BIG EAST performer, finishing a career-best second at the league's championships in 2010.
On the men's side, the Cardinals tied for 25th with 10 team points, while the women's squad tied for 44th with five team points.
For all of the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to uoflsports.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvilletrack.
NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (JUNE 8-11 | DES MOINES, IOWA)
Women's Shot Put Final
11. D'Ana McCarty - 16.22m/53-2.75
13. Khadija Abdullah - 16.18m/53-1
20. Chinwe Okoro - 15.84m/51-11.75
Players Mentioned
