SACRAMENTO, Calif. – How's this for a stunning performance? Stanford sophomore John Kroeger entered the NCAA West Prelims tied for the 43rd qualifier in a 48-man long jump field and captured third on Wednesday to advance to his first NCAA Championships.
Kroeger jumped a huge lifetime best of 25-7 ½ (7.81 meters) on the second jump of the first flight and waited through three other flights of higher-seeded jumpers before he was assured of making the field for the NCAA meet July 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
Kroeger was the first of four Stanford men to secure NCAA berths on the first of the four-day meet at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium. Also qualifying were sophomore pole vaulter Garrett Brown and 10,000-meter runners Charles Hicks and Ky Robinson.
In addition, sophomore sprint sensation Udodi Onwuzurike won his heats in both the 100 and 200 to advance to Friday's round that determines the NCAA qualifiers.
Max McKhann in the hammer and Cole Sprout in the 10,000 each placed 14th, two spots from Austin. Of the 48 in each individual event, the top 12 placers in each of the nation's two regionals -- the other is in Jacksonville, Florida -- advance to the NCAA Championships.
Max McKhann/Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Stanford 32 individuals – 18 women and 14 men – plus three relay teams (women's 4x100, women's 4x400, men's 4x100) competing. Athletes qualified by achieving the top 48 marks from each half of the country. The exceptions are the relays, in which 24 teams advanced.
Before the Pac-12 Championships two weeks ago, Kroeger's lifetime best was 24-1 ¾ (7.36m). He crushed that at Pac-12's with a seventh-place jump of 24-10 (7.57m) to get him to Sacramento. But that hardly set him up for success at the West Prelims. He was placed in first flight with the lowest-seeded jumpers.
After fouling on his first attempt, Kroeger struck gold on his second, which thrust him into the lead. He held the lead through the first two flights, but with the more-accomplished jumpers coming next, Kroeger would undoubtedly drop.
He did … but only slightly. Wayne Pinnock of Arkansas (26-5, 8.05m) and Nikaoli Williams of Oklahoma (26-1 ½, 7.96m) were the only ones who managed to do so, and Kroeger captured a stunning third. He becomes the first men's long jumper from Stanford to reach the NCAA Championships since Milton Little in 2003. He also ties Cardinal football great Darrin Nelson at No. 5 on Stanford's all-time outdoor performers' list.
Perhaps it shouldn't have been so surprising, given Kroeger's superb season. Rather than just long jump, which he mostly did last year (with wind-legal best of 22-11/7.00m), Kroeger has spent just as much time sprinting. He won the 100 in the Big Meet dual against Cal (with the understanding that Onwuzurike did not run and Cal's top runner false-started) and will run on Stanford's 4x100 relay on Friday. Kroeger has been building to something big, and now it's coming to fruition.
Garrett Brown. Photo by David Hicks.
Brown was eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships to earn first-team All-America honors, but at this meet as a freshman, he no-heighted. He clearly chased those bad memories by being perfect at his first three heights before needing two tries at 17-4 ½ (5.30m) and three at 17-8 ½ (5.40m), where he settled.
Brown was among nine to clear that height and competition concluded there with its 12 Austin qualifiers decided. Stanford teammate Max Manson, an NCAA outdoor qualifier last year, was 24th at 17-0 ¾ (5.20m).
In the 10,000, Stanford had four runners – Hicks, Robinson, Cole Sprout, and fifth-year senior Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau. All were part of a large lead pack for much of the race before Hicks and Robinson began to force the pace with 10 laps to go.
The pace quickened from 70 seconds to 66 and never really dropped after that as the pack strung out. Beaudoin-Rousseau, in his final collegiate race, was among the victims. He finished 19th.
Hicks, Robinson, and Patrick Kiprop of Arkansas alternated in pace-setting duties until they found themselves in a distinct group of eight on the penultimate lap and cruised from there, with Hicks sixth (28:22.04) and Robinson eighth (28:22.84).
Sprout found himself in a battle for the 12th and final qualifying spot. He gamely held it for a while before Oklahoma State's Alex Maier swung past with just over three laps to go. Sprout lost one more spot before crossing the line in 28:41.14.
Ky Robinson and Charles Hicks. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Fifth-year senior McKhann, a two-time All-American in the indoor 35-pound weight throw, also was close. His second throw traveled 219-4 (66.86m), the second-longest distance of any meet in his life. That left him 13th -- one spot short – going into his final throw, but that one was not an improvement. It would have required a lifetime best to break the top 12.
Onwuzurike was the fastest of the day in the 100, running an eased-up 10.16. He covered 200 in 20.33. Though it easily won his heat, the overall best time was 0.001 faster, by Iowa's Austin Kresley. Onwuzurike qualified for NCAA's in both events last year as a freshman.
The Stanford women begin action on Saturday with NCAA spots to be decided in the long jump, pole vault, and 10,000. Freshman Pac-12 long jump champion Alyssa Jones, senior pole vaulter Laurel Wong, and senior Grace Connolly and sophomore Audrey DaDamio are the Cardinal competing in those events.
Udodi Onwuzurike. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
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NCAA West Prelims
At Hornet Stadium
Top qualifiers and all Stanford
Men
100 first round – 1, Udodi Onwuzurike (Stanford) 10.16. Onwuzurike advances to Friday's NCAA quarterfinal.
200 first round – 2, Udodi Onwuzurike (Stanford) 20.33. Onwuzurike advances to Friday's NCAA quarterfinal.
10,000 – 1, Isai Rodriguez (Oklahoma State) 28:17.98; 6, Charles Hicks (Stanford) 28:22.04; 8, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 28:22.84; 14, Cole Sprout (Stanford) 28:41.14; 19, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (Stanford) 28:47.48. Hicks and Robinson advance to NCAA Championships.
Pole vault – 1, Zach Bradford (Texas Tech) 17-8 ½ (5.40m); 7, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 17-8 ½ (5.40m); 24, Max Manson (Stanford) 17-0 ¾ (5.20m). Brown advances to NCAA Championships.
Long jump – 1, Wayne Pinnock (Arkansas) 26-5 (8.05m); 3, John Kroeger (Stanford) 25-7 ½ (7.81m) (PB; No. 5 Stanford AT); 45, Allan Hunter (Stanford) 19-6 (5.94m). Kroeger advances to NCAA Championships.
Hammer – 1, Kostas Zaltos (Minnesota) 244-2 (74.42m); 14, Max McKhann (Stanford) 219-4 (66.86m).
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Stanford's Schedule
Thursday
6 p.m.: Women's long jump first round (top 12) – Fl. 4: Alyssa Jones.
6:30 p.m.: Women's pole vault first round (top 12) – Fl. 1: Laurel Wong.
6:30 p.m.: Women's 1,500 first round (top 5 + 4) – Ht. 2: Juliette Whittaker; Ht. 3: Melissa Tanaka.
7 p.m.: Women's 100 first round (top 3 + 6) – Ht. 4: Alexa Rossum.
7:25 p.m.: Women's 400 first round (top 3 + 6) – Ht. 4: Maya Valmon.
7:50 p.m.: Women's 800 first round (top 3 + 6) – Ht. 1: Taylor James, Roisin Willis; Ht. 2: Ellie Deligianni; Ht. 6: Anna Tovkach.
8:20 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles first round (top 3 + 6) – Ht. 2: Samantha Thomas.
8:45 p.m.: Women's 200 first round (top 3 + 6) – Ht. 1: Alexa Rossum; Ht. 2: Cydney Wright.
9:10 p.m.: Women's 10,000 semifinals (top 12) – Grace Connolly, Audrey DaDamio.
Friday
1 p.m.: Men's discus first round (top 12) – Fl. 2: Chudi Ikpeazu.
5 p.m.: Men's 4x100 relay quarterfinals (top 3 + 3) – Ht. 2: Stanford.
6 p.m.: Men's triple jump first round (top 12) – Fl. 2: Kevin Yang.
6:35 p.m.: Men's 100 quarterfinals (top 12) – Udodi Onwuzurike.
7:50 p.m.: Men's 200 quarterfinals (top 12) – Udodi Onwuzurike.
8:10 p.m.: Men's 5,000 semifinals (top 5 + 2) – Ht. 1: Robert DiDonato, Charles Hicks, Ky Robinson; Ht. 2: Evan Burke.
Saturday
2:30 p.m.: Women's high jump first round (top 12) – Fl. 1: Alyssa Jones.
5 p.m.: Women's 4x100 quarterfinals (top 3 + 3) – Ht. 3: Stanford.
5:15 p.m.: Women's 1,500 quarterfinals (top 12).
6:35 p.m.: Women's 100 quarterfinals (top 12).
6:50 p.m.: Women's 400 quarterfinals (top 12).
7:05 p.m.: Women's 800 quarterfinals (top 12).
7:25 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles quarterfinals (top 12).
7:50 p.m.: Women's 200 quarterfinals (top 12).
8:10 p.m.: Women's 5,000 semifinals (top 5 + 2) – Ht. 1: Riley Stewart; Ht. 2: Grace Connolly, Zofia Dudek, Lucy Jenks.
8:45 p.m.: Women's 4x400 relay quarterfinals (top 3 + 3) – Fl. 3: Stanford.
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
Parentheses in the schedule indicate how many advance from that round.