Louisville WomenÂ’s Track and Field Captures Fifth-Straight BIG EAST Outdoor Title

LouisvilleÂ’s womenÂ’s team becomes the first conference history to win five-straight outdoor titles.

 

May 6, 2012

 

TAMPA, Fla. – There’s just something special about the outdoor season for the University of Louisville women’s track and field team.

 

Behind a surge of points from the womenÂ’s field athletes and scoring performances compliments of the relay teams, the Louisville womenÂ’s team became the first squad in BIG EAST history to win its fifth-straight outdoor title late Sunday afternoon at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships at the USF Track and Field Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

 

At the conclusion of the meet, head coach Ron Mann and staff were named the BIG EAST WomenÂ’s Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year for the fourth time in program history. Amashi Kendall also earned an accolade, picking up BIG EAST Female Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet.

 

Michelle Theophille and Megan Schubert gave the Cardinal women a significant boost in the womenÂ’s high jump. Behind a school-record tying mark of 1.86m/6-1.25, Michelle Theophille captured her first career BIG EAST title. The mark breaks the seven-year-old stadium record (1.82m/6-0) and the two-year-old meet mark (1.84m/6-0.50). Schubert followed with a fourth-place finish, and Maggie Gilbertson added two more points with her seventh-place showing.

 

Similar to the high jump, the Cardinal throwers on the womenÂ’s side also had a pair of top five finishers to add 16 points to their team total. Khadija Abdullah set the pace, notching a winning mark of 53.91m/176-10 on her third throw of the first round. Kendall was one-and-a-half feet off the runner-up, taking third behind a toss of 48.78m/160-0.

 

Helping secure the win, the womenÂ’s 4x800m relay squad captured seventh place behind a school-record time of 8:56.71 for two points and the womenÂ’s 4x400m relay squad posted an identical seventh-place showing, cruising to a school-record time of 3:43.06.

 

LouisvilleÂ’s women opened the day with a scoring performance in the field events, as Charachesicia Lockhart placed fifth in the triple jump. On her second jump in the first round, Lockhart earned a mark of 12.57.

 

One event later, the 4x100m womenÂ’s relay team clocked a time of 46.72 to take sixth place. The Cardinals gained an additional seven points on the track, as Gabrielle Jackson placed fifth in 400m hurdles final behind a season-best time of 1:00.35. In the 800m final, Ahlivia Spencer took sixth. After setting the school record earlier in the year and breaking it on Saturday, she reset the school-best time with a mark of 2:06.54.

 

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.

 

BIG EAST OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (MAY 4-6 – TAMPA, FLA.)

 

Sunday, May 6

 

MenÂ’s Pole Vault Trials and Final

Kevin Jackson – NH

 

MenÂ’s Discus Throw Trials and Final

10. Isaac Bowling – 48.26m/158-4

14. Sam Bombaugh – 43.17m/141-8

 

WomenÂ’s Triple Jump Trials and Final

5. Charachesicia Lockhart – 12.57m/41-3 (wind: 1.0)

9. Malina Simmers – 12.28m/40-3.50 (wind: 2.1)

 

WomenÂ’s 4x100m Relay Final

6. Louisville ‘A’ (D. Horne, G. Jackson, C. Lockhart, H. Bruno) – 46.72

 

MenÂ’s 4x100m Relay Final

Louisville ‘A’ (W. Smith, E. Matadi, S. Powell, M. Hobbs) – DQ

 

MenÂ’s 1,500m Final

10. Andrew Stewart – 3:57.43

 

MenÂ’s Triple Jump Trials and Final

8. Seon Powell – 14.54m/47-8.50 (wind: 0.3)

 

WomenÂ’s Discus Throw Trials and Final

1. Khadija Abdullah – 53.91m/176-10

3. Amashi Kendall – 48.78m/160-0

15. Hannah Baker – 40.77m/133-9

21. Chinwe Okoro – 38.75m/127-1

 

WomenÂ’s High Jump Trials and Final

1. Michelle Theophille – 1.86m/6-1.25

4. Megan Schubert – 1.79m/5-10.50

7. Maggie Gilbertson – 1.73m/5-8

12. Kim Cardeiro – 1.65m/5-5

 

MenÂ’s 100m Final

Emmanuel Matadi – DNS

 

WomenÂ’s 800m Final

6. Ahlivia Spencer – 2:06.54

 

WomenÂ’s 400m Hurdles Final

5. Gabrielle Jackson – 1:00.35

 

MenÂ’s 400m Hurdles Final

8. Jordon Frazier – 53.42

 

WomenÂ’s 4x800m Relay Final

7. Louisville ‘A’ (M. Molodynia, M. Frigo, J. Diaz, A. Spencer) – 8:56.71

 

MenÂ’s 4x800m Relay Final

7. Louisville ‘A’ (E. Hibbs, A. Stewart, G. Dooley, L. Lovelace) – 7:35.19

 

WomenÂ’s 4x400m Relay Final

7. Louisville ‘A’ (H. Bruno, C. Lockhart, G. Jackson, M. Theophille) – 3:43.06

 

-ig-

 

For More Information, Contact:

Ira Green, (502) 852-4857

Ira.Green@louisville.edu