Alex Ryan

On the strength of winning seven individual titles, the University of Cincinnati women’s track and field team captured its first indoor conference crown in program history as the Bearcats ran away with the title at the two-day meet inside the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala. UC, who had finished as the meet runners-up each of the past two seasons, won by a huge margin of 62 points as the Bearcats scored 147 points, the most in league history.

// IN THE TEAM RACES

The UC women joined the Houston men as the 2018 champions. In the women’s race, the Bearcats scored 147 points to easily win the championship with SMU taking runner-up honors with 85 points. The Top 5 was rounded out by UConn (74), ECU (72.83) and Houston (64). On the men’s side, the Cougars won with 139 points while Memphis (107) was the runner-up. The men’s Top 5 was rounded out by newcomer Wichita State (103), UConn (93.5) and the Bearcats (82).

// MAKING HISTORY

The women’s team title is their first on the indoor track and their third overall title in the past three years after winning both the 2016 and 2017 outdoor conference crowns. The Bearcats not only won this year’s indoor title, but did so in historic fashion as they scored the most points in a single meet with 147 and posted the largest margin of victory with 62 points. The previous records were the 122 points scored by UCF last year while the previous record for margin of victory came in 2016 with a 24.5-point margin. UC was the runner-up in both of those meets.

// CLASS OF THE LEAGUE

For the second time in as many weeks, a Bearcats program will return to campus with a championship trophy and, for the second time in as many weeks, the team returning home carried its first title in program history. Today’s win for the women’s track and field program comes on the heels of the men’s swimming and diving team capturing its first conference title last week.

// COLLECTING CROWNS

After winning three events on the first day of competition, the Bearcats women added four more Saturday to help build their insurmountable lead. On the track, Bryana Robinson defended her 400m title as she ran 53.37 to claim the gold and collect 10 points for the team. In the field, Annette Echikunwoke completed a sweep of the throwing events as she won the shot put with a toss of 16.50m (54-01.75) to not only score 10 points, but also break the meet record. Another meet record fell in the high jump as Loretta Blaut defended her title with a clearance of 1.87m (6-01.50), which also tied the school record. Lastly, Irati Mitxelena won the triple jump with a leap of 12.65m (41-06.00) to give UC its seventh title of the meet.

// NOTING THE CHAMPIONS

  • Robinson successfully defended her 400m title and has now won the last three crowns in the event at the American Athletic Conference meets after she not only won the indoor title last year, but added the outdoor title as well.
  • Echikunwoke became the first woman in AAC history to sweep the throws in the same meet with her wins in the weight throw and the shot put on consecutive days. With her win the shot put, Echikunwoke now joins SMU’s Rayann Chin as the only two women to win both throwing events in a career as Chin won the shot put in 2014 and the weight throw in 2015 before Echikunwoke won three in a row in the weight.
  • Blaut twice cleared a meet-record mark on the day. First, she cleared 1.85m on her first attempt, bettering the mark of 1.84m that former teammate Erika Hurd cleared in 2014. Then, she cleared 1.87m on her first attempt to up the record mark and move into a tie with Renee Hein for the school record.

// SCORING BIG

Not only did the Bearcats have seven champions, they also scored huge points in a pair of events Saturday to distance themselves from the rest of the field as the 400m runners and shot put throwers combined for 46 points – more than six different teams scored in the entire meet. In the 400m, the Bearcats finished 1-2-4-5 as Robinson (10 points) won the event in 53.37 with Tiona Lattimore (8) close behind in 54.21. Haisha Bisiolu (5) took fourth place with a time of 54.76 while Deanna Gesicki (4), who was ranked 10th ahead of the meet, placed fifth in 56.53. In the shot put, it was another 1-2 punch for the Bearcats as Echikunwoke (10) was victorious and Ashley Williams (8) took second with a best of 15.82m (51-11.00), the #3 mark in program history. Leah Heckaman (1) added to the total by placing eighth with a toss of 14.91m (48-11.00).

// MULTIPLE POINTS

Several other events saw multiple Bearcats compete in the final and combine for a good chunk of points, including the 13 points earned in the women’s triple jump and the 10 points collected in the men’s 60m hurdles final. For the women, Mitxelena (10) won the event while Mary Purtsa jumped her collegiate PR and all-time #4 mark of 12.22m (40-01.25) for three points. For the men, Isaiah McCall (5) finished fourth, Kelvin Williams (4) was fifth and Connor Duricky (1) was eighth as the trio ran 8.11, 8.22 and 8.39, respectively. The time for Williams is a PR and ranks #8 all-time at UC.

// GOING THE DISTANCES – MEN

The men’s mid-distance/distance group scored 20 points, which is the most the group has tallied as members of the AAC, surpassing the 12 points scored in 2015. In fact, one man outscored the record total by himself as Aaron Bienenfeld took second in the 5,000m run before coming back to place fourth in the 3,000m run to score 13 points by himself. His point total is the most scored by any UC man this year and ranks tied for fourth among all Bearcats – men and women – that scored at the meet this year.

// GOING THE DISTANCES – WOMEN

In the previous four AAC meets, the women’s mid-distance and distance squad had combined to score 11 points total, including four points each in 2015 and 2016. This year, the group nearly equaled that point total as they scored nine points on the weekend. Individually, the duo of Alexis Anton and Sammy Hentz scored four points in the 800m alone as they ran 2:11.34 (PR and UC #3) for sixth and 2:17.07 for eighth, respectively. The remaining points came from the DMR as Sam Mikula, Gesicki, Anton and Meg Westerheide finished fourth overall.

// ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES

The Top 3 finishers in each event earn all-conference honors and this year, 12 women and four men earned podium finishes in the meet. For the women, Echikunwoke (shot put, weight throw), Lattimore (400m, 4x400m) and Robinson (400m, 4x400m) each earned a pair of honors while single honors went to Bisiolu (4x400m), Blaut (high jump), Brooke Catherine (pole vault), Gesicki (4x400m), Angelica Lightfoot (pentathlon), Kellsa Mbah (long jump), Mitxelena (triple jump), Naomi Urbano (pentathlon) and Ashley Williams (shot put). The men’s honorees included Bienenfeld (5,000m), Alex Bloom (high jump), Edwards (60m) and Adrian Valles (pole vault).

// RECORD BREAKERS

Two UC records were recorded on the day with the men and women each breaking one. For the women, Blaut tied Renee Hein for the record in the high jump as she cleared 1.87m (6-01.25). On the men’s side, Edwards ran 6.72 in the 60m dash final to lower the record he tied two weeks ago and broke one day prior (6.73) in the preliminary round of racing.

// ON DECK

With the conference meets completed this weekend across the nation, the NCAA will now look at the final descending order lists and, following declarations and scratches, will announce the field for the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships that will be held in College Station, Texas, March 9-10. The Top 16 in each event will qualify to the meet.

2018 American Athletic Conference Championships

February 24 (Day 2) • CrossPlex • Birmingham, Ala.

Women’s Results

60m Dash – FINAL

  1. Tiona Lattimore – 7.63 –2 points

60m Hurdles – FINAL

  1. Angelica Lightfoot – 8.67 –4 points

200m Dash – FINAL

  1. Bryana Robinson – 24.10 –3 points
  2. Tiona Lattimore – 24.20 –2 points
  3. Haisha Bisiolu – 24.31 –1 point

400m Dash – FINAL

  1. Bryana Robinson – 53.37 –10 points– 2x CHAMPION
  2. Tiona Lattimore – 54.21 –8 points
  3. Haisha Bisiolu – 54.76 –5 points
  4. Deanna Gesicki – 56.53 –4 points

800m Dash – FINAL

  1. Alexis Anton – 2:11.34 –PR &UC #3 – 3 points
  2. Sammy Hentz – 2:17.07 –1 point

Mile Run – FINAL

  1. Meg Westerheide – 5:08.56

3,000m Run – FINAL

  1. Hannah Markel – 10:04.54

4x400m Relay – FINAL

  1. Cincinnati – 3:42.13 –UC #4– 8 points

    Lattimore (55.1), Bisiolu (56.0), Gesicki (57.0), Robinson (53.8)

Triple Jump – FINAL

  1. Irati Mitxelena – 12.65m (41-06.00) –10 points– CHAMPION
  2. Mary Purtsa – 12.22m (40-01.25) –3 points– PR & UC #4

High Jump – FINAL

  1. Loretta Blaut – 1.87m (6-01.50) –PR, Meet Record &UC RECORD (tie) – 10 points – 2x CHAMPION
  2. Naomi Urbano – 1.61m (5-03.25)

Shot Put – FINAL

  1. Annette Echikunwoke – 16.50m (54-01.75) –Meet Record– 10 points – CHAMPION
  2. Ashley Williams – 15.82m (51-11.00) –8 points– PR & UC #3
  3. Leah Heckaman – 14.91m (48-11.00) –1 point
  4. Alexis Gray – 12.74m (41-09.75)

Men’s Results

60m Dash – FINAL

  1. Austin Edwards – 6.72 –PR &UC RECORD – 6 points

60m Hurdles – FINAL

  1. Isaiah McCall – 8.11 –5 points
  2. Kelvin Williams – 8.22 –4 points– PR & UC #8
  3. Connor Duricky – 8.39 –1 point

200m Dash – FINAL

  1. Jimmy Brooks – 22.13 –2 points

400m Dash – FINAL

  1. Jimmy Brooks – 47.51 –3 points

800m Dash – FINAL

  1. Michael Vitucci – 1:52.60 –3 points
  2. Logan Baker – 2:00.14 –1 point

3,000m Run – FINAL

  1. Aaron Bienenfeld – 8:16.12 –5 points– PR & UC #3

4x400m Relay – FINAL

  1. Cincinnati – 3:16.27 –3 points

    Witcher (48.9), Morris (49.8), Greene (50.3), Brooks (47.1)

Triple Jump – FINAL

  1. Brandon White – 13.90m (45-07.25) –PR

Shot Put – FINAL

  1. Marcus Abraham – 16.86m (55-03.75) –4 points
  2. Sam Meece – 16.42m (53-10.50) –2 points– PR & UC #10
  3. Aaron Deaton – 15.93m (52-03.25)

Heptathlon – FINAL

  1. Alex Bloom – 4,896 points
  2. Nicholas Lauria – 4,338 points

HEP #5 – 60m Hurdles

  1. Alex Bloom – 8.59 [839p]
  2. Nicholas Lauria – 9.11 [722p] –PR &UC HEP #10

HEP #6 – Pole Vault

t5. Alex Bloom – 4.50m (14-09.00) [760p]

t7. Nicholas Lauria – 4.30m (14-01.25) [702p]

HEP #7 – 1,000m Run

  1. Nicholas Lauria – 3:19.18 [489p]

      Alex Bloom – did not finish [0p]

Heptathlon Day Two Only Scoring

Alex Bloom – 1,599 points

Nicholas Lauria – 1,913 points

TEAM SCORES

WOMEN – Final

  1. CINCINNATI – 147.00
  2. SMU – 85.00
  3. UConn – 74.00
  4. ECU – 72.83
  5. Houston – 64.00
  6. Temple – 51.00
  7. Tulane – 41.00
  8. UCF – 33.00
  9. USF – 32.84
  10. Memphis – 27.00
  11. Tulsa – 18.00
  12. Wichita State – 16.34

MEN – Final

  1. Houston – 139.0
  2. Memohis – 107.0
  3. Wichita State – 103.0
  4. UConn – 93.5
  5. CINCINNATI – 82.0
  6. Tulsa – 65.0
  7. USF – 36.0
  8. ECU – 35.5

 

SUPERLATIVES

WOMEN

Alexis Anton – 800m – 2:11.34 – UC #3

Loretta Blaut – High Jump – 1.87m (6-01.50) – UC RECORD (tie)

Mary Purtsa – Triple Jump – 12.22m (40-01.25) – UC #4

Ashley Williams – Shot Put – 15.82m (51-11.00) – UC #3

Cincinnati – 4x400m – 3:42.13 – UC #4

    Lattimore (55.1), Bisiolu (56.0), Gesicki (57.0), Robinson (53.8)

MEN

Aaron Bienenfeld – 3,000m – 8:16.12 – UC #3

Austin Edwards – 60m – 6.72 – UC RECORD

Nicholas Lauria – HEP 60mH – 9.11 – UC HEP #10

Sam Meece – Shot Put – 16.42m (53-10.50) – UC #10

Kelvin Williams – 60mH – 8.22 – UC #8

ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES – Top 3 Finishers

Women

Haisha Bisiolu – 4x400m – Second Place

Loretta Blaut – High Jump – Champion

Brooke Catherine – Pole Vault – Champion

Annette Echikunwoke – Shot Put – Champion

Annette Echikunwoke – Weight Throw – Champion

Deanna Gesicki – 4x400m – Second Place

Tiona Lattimore – 400m – Second Place

Tiona Lattimore – 4x400m – Second Place

Angelica Lightfoot – Pentathlon – Third Place

Kellsa Mbah – Long Jump – Second Place

Irati Mitxelena – Triple Jump – Champion

Bryana Robinson – 400m – Champion

Bryana Robinson – 4x400m – Second Place

Naomi Urbano – Pentathlon – Champion

Ashley Williams – Shot Put – Second Place

Men

Aaron Bienenfeld – 5,000m – Second Place

Alex Bloom – High Jump – Champion

Austin Edwards – 60m – Third Place

Adrian Valles – Pole Vault – Champion

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR