LINCOLN, Neb. – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior Shadrack
Songok placed third in the 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Midwest
Regional Ed Weir Stadium on Friday night.
Songok crossed
the line in 13:59.64 less than five seconds behind race winner
Brent Vaughn of Colorado who finished in 13:54.70 breaking his own
Midwest Region record set last year. Vaughn's teammate Stephen
Pifer was second in 13:58.70. Songok qualifies for the national
meet in the 5,000 with the performance, but will defend his
national title in the 10,000-meter run.
"Shadrack ran
well and controlled the tempo early," said Islander head coach
Shawn Flanagan. "He ran much better in the 5,000 this year than he
did last year when he then went on to win the 10,000. It was good
preparation for him for the national meet."
Strong seasons
by Kassandrea Son and Hannah Maenius come to an end.
Son, the
Southland Conference Freshman of the Year in indoor and outdoor
track competed in both the long jump and the preliminaries of the
100-meter dash. In the long jump, Son was 14th with a mark of 5.87
meters (19'3-1/4). She entered the meet with a season-best mark in
the event of 6.35 meters (20'10") which she accomplished twice. In
the 100-meter dash, Son, who lowered her mark at the SLC
Championship meet by over four tenths of a second, placed 22nd with
a time of 12.03 seconds.
"It was a great
learning experience for Kassandrea to come and compete at this
meet," said Flanagan. "She was in the toughest region for the long
jump. I know she was disappointed, but she had a great freshman
season to get to the regional in two events."
Maenius
finished eighth in her heat and 14th overall with a time of
2:12.06. The time was the third fastest of her career. The junior
advanced to the meet with a time of 2:11.69 which was a school
record.
"We knew coming
in it would be a challenge for Hannah," said Flanagan. "She ran
well for her first time at the meet. She gave it everything she had
and posted the third best time of her career."
Hickel Woolery
will compete in the discus tomorrow which is slated to start at 5
p.m.
