ArkansasSports.com Articles
Caleb Cross makes history in the hurdles
Date: 2010-03-06T03:43:43.667
Author: Molly O'Mara
Editor note: Caleb Cross ranks No. 2 in the NCAA among freshmen competitors.
Number of Views: 384
FAYETTEVILLE - Freshman Caleb Cross was the lone Razorback to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships Friday at the Arkansas Last Chance, at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Cross, competing in the 60-meter hurdles, clocked a personal-best and improved NCAA provisional qualifier of 7.82 in the prelims, ranking him No. 14 in the NCAA. He came back in the finals to better that time to 7.78. He now ranks tied for 10th in the NCAA and his time is also No. 2 on Arkansas' all-time list. He ranks No. 2 in the NCAA among freshmen competitors.
"Making it to the NCAA Championships has been my goal all season," Cross said. "The transition from high school hurdles to collegiate hurdles, with the height difference, it was rough. I'm glad things have smoothed out. My races felt good tonight. I had a bad start at SECs and I've been working on that all week. I finally had a race where I put it all together."
Senior Scott MacPherson won the 3,000 meters in a time of 8:01.67 but he wasn't faster than his season best of 7:58.18. Freshman Solomon Haile was second in 8:05.44, junior Patrick Russell was third in 8:12.28, freshman Eric Fernandez was fourth in 8:24.47 and sophomore Lane Boyer was fifth in 8:30.55.
Freshman Cobi Hamilton was second in the 200 meters with a personal-best time of 21.09 and junior LaShawn Butler was fourth at 21.15. Hamilton's mark is an improved NCAA provisional qualifier and ranks him No. 23 in the NCAA and No. 5 among freshmen.
Also in the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Andrew Pennington finished fifth in the finals with a time of 8.31. He clocked a prelim time of 8.38. In the mile, junior Michael Chinchar was fourth at 4:05.53, sophomore Rick Elliott was fifth at 4:10.13 and freshman Omar Abdi was sixth at 4:15.38.
Freshman Chris Muncie finished fifth in the 400 meters with a personal-best time of 49.02. Freshman Leoman Momoh was eighth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:57.23. Junior Chad Burnett finished 11th in the pole vault with a height of 15-9.
Arkansas took its distance medley relay to the Alex Wilson Invitational on the campus of Notre Dame Friday night. The quartet of freshman Drew Butler, sophomore Ben Skidmore, junior Chris Bilbrew and senior Dorian Ulrey combined for a time of time of 9:34.33 and a seventh-place finish. Their season best of 9:33.12 still ranks No. 6 in the NCAA.
The accepted entries list for the NCAA Indoor Championships, held March 12-13 in Fayetteville, will be released Monday night. For continued coverage of Razorback track and field, log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
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