Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Day 1
Hunsucker & Bosshard Earn All-America Honors; Kipp Qualifies
June 11, 2014 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. – University of Colorado senior Emily Hunsucker capped her stellar collegiate career with a second place finish in the hammer throw at the 2014 NCAA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon, Wednesday afternoon.
Hunsucker tossed a 64.83 meter throw (212 feet, 8 inches), on her last collegiate toss to finish in second place on the national stage finishing behind Princeton sophomore Julia Ratcliffe, who threw for 66.88 meters (219-5) to claim top honors.
It was also Hunsucker's second-best collegiate career throw. She set the CU school record at the Jerry Quiller Classic earlier this season (March 21) with a 212-11 (64.91) heave.
“My performance was consistent at a high level and that's what exactly needed to happen today,” Hunsucker said. “I came out with a big throw on the second one (64.59m; 211-11) and that held up through the finals, and then increased it on my very last throw of my collegiate career, which was exciting! My biggest goal this year was to be an All-American, considering I just missed it last year. All-in-all, it was just a great day.”
Hunsucker, a May 2014 graduate from Arvada, Colo., majoring in finance, has now tossed the hammer 15 times over the 200-feet plateau, cementing herself as CU's best female hammer thrower.
Her second place finish on the national stage comes on the heels of finishing first (64.05m, 210-1) at the NCAA West Regional two weeks ago at Fayetteville, Ark. (May 31) and a fourth place finish at last month's Pac-12 Championship (62.44).
The Pac-12 Conference winner, Oregon's Jillian Weir, finished sixth overall (63.88m, 209-7).
Last year, Hunsucker finished with a ninth place tally at the 2013 championships in Eugene, earning second-team All-America recognition. Hunsucker is just the fourth thrower in CU history to earn any kind of All-America mention, joining Melisa Weis (shot put/discus) as the only CU women to earn the distinction twice in back-to-back meets (1993 & 1994).
Hunsucker also joins two other CU women to earn All-American honors in throws, Brenda Denny in 1980 (discus) and Janet Visosky in 1998 (hammer).
“Emily's performance today was absolutely an incredible, phenomenal way to close out in an incredible collegiate career. It was truly an inspirational way for her to represent the University of Colorado,” said CU assistant and throws coach Casey Malone. “I couldn't be more proud how she competed, what she achieved today. The performance itself was just consistent; she was composed, she just looked like a professional out there.
“It was just an amazing, culmination of all her hard work and all her effort over the years. Her performance today was a dream come true, one that she has definitely earned through all of her efforts at CU and I couldn't be more proud of her.”
“Huge crowd for the hammer, couple 100 people and she kind of captured the hearts and imagination for much of the crowd that didn't know what it was for,” said CU head coach Mark Wetmore. “She was happy and having fun the whole time, smiling and high-fiving Casey after big throw after big throw. If anybody deserves it, a big performance like this, is Emily. She's such a wonderful, young woman. Casey's worked so hard and been patient and brought her along so carefully. We're all sky-high over her performance. I have to figure out a way to get, three or four more years of eligibility out of her.”
The Buffaloes have seven athletes participating over the four-day national event from June 11-14, concluding Saturday.
Also competing Wednesday were seniors Joe Bosshard (10,000-meter run) and Shalaya Kipp (3000-meter Steeplechase).
Kipp qualified for Friday's 3000-meter steeplechase final (6:35 p.m.) finishing with the second best time in heat one and clocking-in with a 9:56.72. Named the Mountain Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association earlier this week, Kipp was second to Rachel Sorna of Cornell (9:53.76).
Of the two steeplechase heats, Kipp had the second best overall time.
The Salt Lake City native won the Pac-12 championship in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and has also clocked the second-fastest and NCAA leading steeplechase time this year, a 9:39.12 clocked at the Payton Jordan Invitational. She won her heat the NCAA West Preliminaries and is one of the favorites in Friday's final.
Entering the 2014 NCAA Championships, she has earned seven All-America honors to date including three in steeplechase after last fall becoming the first CU female student-athlete to earn four Cross Country All-America honors.
Bosshard, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA due to injuries, capped off his collegiate career with a seventh place finish in the men's 10,000-meter run with a time of 29:01.23. Last month, he was third at the Pac-12 championships (29:26.25) and then sixth at the NCAA preliminaries (29:34.49).
Oregon's Edward Cheserek defended his home track with a 28.30.18 time to claim first place honors.
The seventh place finish for Bosshard earns him an All-America honor, the fourth All-America honor of his collegiate career.
“Pretty good day for the Buffs,” Wetmore said. “Business-like run for Shalaya just making sure she was in the top five and stayed in control didn't extend too much energy. Last event of the night was the 10,000 meters, sort of a resurrection for Joe Bosshard after two and half years of interruption after interruption, even one this spring, Joe finally put together about six, seven weeks of good training, ended up back on the podium with a seventh place. Pretty nice time with the conditions and surrounded by all good runners. That was our aspiration, that we got him back on the podium and we're real happy for that.”
Day two of the NCAA Outdoor Championships features four CU athletes on Thursday. Jake Hurysz and Ben Saarel both compete in 1,500 meters (5:30 p.m.), and Blake Theroux in the 3,000 meter Steeplechase (6:35 p.m.). All times are mountain.
HAMMER THROW (FINAL)
1. Julia Ratcliffe (Princeton) 66.88 meters (219-5); 2. Emily Hunsucker (Colorado) 64.83m (212-8); 3. Brooke Pleger (Bowling Green) 64.48m (211-6).
MEN'S 10,000-METERS (FINAL)
1. Edward Cheserek (Oregon) 28.30.18; 2. Shadrack Kipchirchir (Oklahoma State) 28:32.31; 3. Mohammed Ahmed (Wisconsin) 28:43.82; 4. Kennedy Kithuka (Texas Tech) 28:46.21; 5. Trevor Dunbar (Oregon) 28:53.81; 6. Jim Rosa (Stanford) 28:57.51; 7. Joe Bosshard (Colorado) 29:01.23
3000-METER WOMEN'S STEEPLECHASE (SEMIFINAL): All 12 Advance to Friday's Final
1. Rachel Sorna (Cornell) 9:53.76; 2. Shalaya Kipp (Colorado) 9:56.72; 3. Rachel Johnson (Baylor) 9:57.27; 4. Marisa Howard (Boise State) 9:58.45; 5. Alexa Aragon (Norte Dame) 9:59.67; 6. Leah O'Connor (Michigan State) 10:00.98; 7. Jessica Kamilos (Arkansas) 10:01.06; 8. Grace Heymsfield (Arkansas) 10:03.34; 9. Maya Rehberg (Iona) 10:05.07; 10. Sarah Martinelli (West Virginia) 10:05.27; 11. Liberty Miller (Washington) 10:05.40; 12. Tova Magnusson (SMU) 10:07.98
1) Oregon 13.0
2) Princeton 10.0
2) Florida 10.0
4) Colorado 8.0
Nebraska 8.0
Oklahoma 8.0
Kentucky 8.0
8) Georgia 7.0
9) Bowling Green 6.0
Miami (Ohio) 6.0
UCLA 6.0
Team Scoring (Men)
1) Oregon 15.0
2) Texas 11.5
3) Mississippi 10.0
4) Oklahoma State 8.0
Akron 8.0
Cornell 8.0
7) Georgia 6.0
Tennessee 6.0
Wisconsin 6.0
10) Texas Tech 5.0
UTSA 5.0
Eastern Illinois 5.0
18) Colorado 2.0
Thursday, June 12 (SEMIFINAL)
Jake Hurysz, 1,500 meters, 5:30 p.m.
Ben Saarel, 1,500 meters, 5:30 p.m.
Blake Theroux, 3,000 meter Steeplechase, 6:35 p.m.
Friday, June 13 (FINAL)
Shalaya Kipp, 3,000 meter Steeplechase, 6:35 p.m.
Saturday, June 13 (FINAL)
Jake Hurysz, 1,500 meters, 3:18 p.m.
Ben Saarel, 1,500 meters, 3:18 p.m.
Blake Theroux, 3,000 meter Steeplechase, 3:57 p.m.
Carrie Verdon, 5,000 meters, 4:24 p.m.
All Times MOUNTAIN and approximate
