BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In a women's shot put title matchup that came down to the final two throws, Stanford's Lena Giger took the lead with a school-record distance, only for Arizona State's Samantha Noenning to overtake Giger by ¾ of an inch on Friday at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Also placing second in dramatic fashion was the Stanford men's distance medley relay team. Grant Fisher's scorching 3:54.24 anchor leg – the fastest in the field by nearly two seconds -- over 1,600 meters rallied Stanford from 10th to within 0.15 of a victory.
Fiona O'Keeffe's third in the women's 5,000 and Harrison Williams' school-record pace after the first day of the men's heptathlon were other Stanford highlights.
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Noenning and Giger stood 1-2 after five of the six rounds, but Giger unleashed a throw of 58-8 ½ (17.89 meters) to overtake Noenning by nearly a foot. Only for Noenning to respond with 58-9 ¼ (17.91m) on the last throw at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Giger, a fifth-year senior, concluded her collegiate career on a high note. It was her best NCAA finish, improving upon her third place at NCAA Outdoors last year. In six meets this season, the only collegian Giger lost to was Noenning.
It was Stanford's highest finish in the event since Jillian Camarena was second in 2003. Pam Dukes won Stanford's only women's indoor shot put championship, in 1987.
Giger, a history major from Highland, Illinois, completed her Stanford career as a four-time All-American.
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Stanford, the 12th seed in the 12-team DMR field, had its best finish in this event since winning in 2014. The Cardinal ran 9:31.70.
Alex Ostberg opened with a 2:55.95 split for 1,200. Isaiah Brandt-Sims, a Rose Bowl winning football player and legendary relay runner in the final race of his collegiate career, ran 48.93 for 400. Isaac Cortes followed with an 800 in 1:52.59.
Fisher took the baton in 10th, nine seconds behind leader Iowa State, but quickly weaved his way up the field. With two laps left, Fisher moved past Indiana into second and, with 250 meters remaining, pulled past Notre Dame's Yared Nuguse into first. Fisher maintained the lead until the finishing stretch, when Nuguse returned the favor, while finishing with a 3:56.03 split, the second-fastest, behind Fisher.
Stanford was competing in its 10th consecutive NCAA DMR final, and earned its second-highest finish in that stretch.
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Stanford junior Fiona O'Keeffe placed third in the women's 5,000, running 15:37.61 – the fastest time by a Stanford runner ever at the NCAA Indoor Championships and the fastest in school history on a 200-meter track.
Arianna Lambie had the previous best time in each category of 15:37.97 in an NCAA runner-up finish in 2007.
It was the highest finish for O'Keeffe in NCAA competition. Her previous best was fifth in the 5,000 at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor meet. She now is a five-time All-America. Also impressive were some of the individuals she beat. Three in her wake have won NCAA individual championships.
O'Keeffe was in a nine-runner lead pack with 1,000 to go. Though she gradually fell off the pace of winner Alicia Monson of Wisconsin, O'Keeffe continued to grind and closed with a 34.58 final 200 -- the second-fastest finish behind Monson -- while passing two runners on the final lap.
Teammate Abbie McNulty, a fifth-year senior, earned her first All-America honor, placing 15th in 16:29.56.
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Harrison Williams is in sixth place after the first of two days of competition in the heptathlon, but is ahead of his Stanford-record pace and in position for a high finish.
Williams, a fifth-year senior and product design major from Memphis, scored 3,297 points Friday after four of the seven events at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Williams trails leader Gabe Moore of Arkansas by 126 points. However, Williams' best two events are on the second day – the 60-meter hurdles and pole vault. He also is among the better runners in the final event, the 1,000.
Entering as the No. 2 seed, behind Georgia's Johannes Erm, who stands seventh with 3,273, Williams set heptathlon personal bests in the long jump, shot put, and high jump. His 6-8 (2.03m) high jump matched his personal record for any competition, indoors or outdoors.
Williams has scored 100 points more than he ever has on the first day, and is 155 points ahead of the pace he set in establishing a lifetime best and school record of 5,970 at the 2017 NCAA final, setting a meet record for highest score by a sixth-place finisher.
After a so-so 7.05 in the 60 to open the competition and the meet, Williams leaped 24-1 ½ (7.35m) in the long jump to get back on track, and followed with 44-7 (13.59m) in the shot.
Williams took 11 attempts during the high jump, clearing 6-8 on his third try.
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NCAA Championships
At Birmingham CrossPlex
(200-meter track)
Friday's results
Winners and Stanford competitors
Men
Team scores (5 of 17 events completed) -- 1, LSU 20; 6, Stanford 8.
Distance medley relay – 1, Notre Dame 9:31.55; 2, Stanford (Alex Ostberg, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Isaac Cortes, Grant Fisher) 9:31.70.
Heptathlon (first of two days): 1, Gabe Moore (Arkansas) 3,423; 6, Harrison Williams (Stanford) 3,297.
Harrison Williams (event, place, mark, points):
First day: 60 – 8, 7.05, 865; LJ – 3, 24-1 ½ (7.35m), 898; SP – 10, 44-7 (13.59m), 703; HJ – 7, 6-8 (2.03m) (PB), 831. First-day total: 3,297 (PB).
Women
Team scores (5 of 17 events completed) -- 1, New Mexico 17; 2, Stanford 14.
5,000 – 1, Alicia Monson (Wisconsin) 15:31.26; 3, Fiona O'Keeffe (Stanford) 15:37.61; 15, Abbie McNulty (Stanford) 16:29.56.
Shot put – 1, Samantha Noenning (Arizona State) 58-9 ¼ (17.91m); 2, Lena Giger (Stanford) 58-8 ½ (17.89m) (school record).
PB = personal best
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Stanford's Remaining Schedule:
Saturday
9:45 a.m. PT (11:45 a.m. CT): Men's heptathlon 60 hurdles (Harrison Williams).
10:35 a.m. PT (12:35 a.m. CT): Men's heptathlon pole vault (Harrison Williams).
2 p.m. PT (4 p.m. CT): Men's heptathlon 1,000 (Harrison Williams).
4:10 p.m. PT (6:10 p.m. CT): Women's 3,000 (Fiona O'Keeffe).
4:25 p.m. PT (6:25 p.m. CT): Men's 3,000 (Grant Fisher, Alex Ostberg).