Thursday's Crowned Champions Included Program Firsts For Alabama, BYU, Louisville And Arkansas

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE -- It was an evening for celebrating firsts as the competition roared to life at the 40th NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday at Hayward Field:

Mercy Chelangat, already an NCAA cross country champion in 2021, won Alabama's first 10,000-meter title by waiting out an early run-out by Washington's Haley Herberg and seizing the end of the race to cross the line in 32 minutes, 37.08 seconds. 

Ashton Riner of BYU won the school's first title in the women's javelin, launching a big first-round throw of 191-1 (58.24m) that held up for the winning mark. 

Gabriela Leon of Louisville won the school's first NCAA women's outdoor title in any event by clearing 15-1 in the pole vault (4.60m). She had finished a disappointing 24th in the NCAA East Prelims in 2021 and 19th at the outdoor final in 2019 in Austin, Texas. 

Florida's Jasmine Moore, already the indoor long jump and triple jump champion, won her first outdoor long jump title with her first attempt of 22-0.75 (6.72m) the longest of the competition. 

Ayden Owens-Delerme became the first Arkansas Razorback to win the men's decathlon and had five new personal bests on the way to tying Ashton Eaton's NCAA meet record with 8,457 points.  

Some of the firsts came from programs reaching farther into the meet than they had in a long time, or ever.

Oregon State steeplechasers Grace Fetherstonhaugh and Kaylee Mitchell both advanced to the finals and have a chance to give the Beavers two All-Americans in the same event for the first time since the men's 400 hurdles in 1965. And Oregon State woman has not scored at the NCAA meet since 1986. 

Howard University got a women's 4x400 relay into the final for the first time since 1988, nosing out LSU in the third semifinal and running 3:30.60. Jessica Wright added a finals berth in the 400-meter hurdles. 

Coastal Carolina reached the finals of the 4x100 relay for the first time and standout Melissa Jefferson, the indoor 60 dash champion, will race three times on Saturday -- in the relay, 100 and 200. All firsts for the Chanticleers. 

Kentucky's Abby Steiner will be the only athlete in four events Saturday as she successfully advanced in the 100 meters, 200 meters and both relays one year after sitting at home and watching the meet on TV with an injured Achilles' tendon.  

With Moore's win, and the possibility of another Saturday in the triple jump, the Florida Gators appear to be headed toward the team championship. That would also be a first outdoors. 

Anna Hall successfully navigated the first race of her busy weekend by breaking the school record in the semifinal round of the 400-meter hurdles, running 54.48 seconds to elevate to the No. 14 competitor in collegiate history. She begins the heptathlon on Friday.

Talitha Diggs advanced to the 400-meter final with a school record and No. 8 all-time 50.08 seconds.  

Claire Bryant added a fifth-place finish in the long jump for the Gators. 

Vanessa Watson gives Florida second finalist in the 400 hurdles. The Gators got two in the 800-meter finals with Gabrielle Wilkinson and Imogen Barrett. The 4x400 relay also advanced to the finals. And Sterling Lester will join Hall in the heptathlon, as well as Natricia Hooper in the triple jump.