FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Sutej, George lead All-America selections

 

            FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The fifth-ranked University of Arkansas women’s track and field team earned 16 All-America honors as announced Monday afternoon by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Overall, the Razorbacks collected seven first-team performers, five second-team honors and four honorable-mention accolades.

            Tina Sutej, the 2012 NCAA champion in the pole vault, headlines the Razorbacks’ All-America picks. For the second-consecutive year, she won the national title with a winning clearance of 4.45m/14-7.25 to become Arkansas’ first two-time indoor NCAA champion. With the victory, Sutej extended her indoor winning streak to 13 competitions, dating back to the start of the 2011 season.

            The Razorbacks had three runners receive multiple awards. Regina George earned two first-time honors as the national runner-up at 400 meters and as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team. Kristen Gillespie also garnered two All-America selections with first-team honors in the mile and honorable mention with the distance-medley relay. Whitney Jones led all Razorbacks with three honors for her work at 400 meters (second team) and with the 4x400-meter relay (first team) and distance-medley relay (honorable mention).

            Arkansas’ list of first-team All-Americans also includes Gwendolyn Flowers (4x400-meter relay) and Chrishuna Williams (4x400-meter relay). Makeba Alcide (pentathlon), Stephanie Brown (800 meters), Tara Diebold (pole vault) and Ivanique Kemp (60-meter hurdles) all earned second-team recognition while Martine Borge (distance-medley relay) and Samantha Learch (distance-medley relay) were honorable-mention selections.

            Jones increased her career All-America haul to 12 honors, the most among current Razorbacks. With her latest All-America picks, George enterd double digits with 10 career accolades. Brown and Gillespie are each now five-time selections while Diebold and Sutej each earned their fourth All-America honor. Alcide, Flowers and Learch increased their All-America accolades to three and Kemp added the second All-America pick to her credit. The award release marks the first selections for Borge and Williams.

The SEC had the second-most All-America selections in the NCAA with 38. First-team honors were given to those who placed in the championships’ top eight or were a member of an eight-person final. Second-team honors were handed out to those who earned final classification between ninth and 16^th place. Others who participated earned honorable mention.

A tape-delay broadcast of the NCAA Indoor Championships will air Sunday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU. For more information about Arkansas track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRzorbacks.com.

 

2012 USTFCCCA All-Americans

First Team

Gwendolyn Flowers – 4x400m

Regina George – 400m, 4x400m

Kristen Gillespie – mile

Whitney Jones – 4x400m

Tina Sutej – pole vault

Chrishuna Williams – 4x400m

 

Second Team

Makeba Alcide – pentathlon

Stephanie Brown – 800m

Tara Diebold – pole vault

Whitney Jones – 400m

Ivanique Kemp – 60m hurdles

 

Honorable Mention

Martine Borge – distance-medley relay

Kristen Gillespie – distance-medley relay

Whitney Jones – distance-medley relay

Samantha Learch – distance-medley relay

 

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