March 12, 2011
Complete Results | 60m Hurdles Final Results | Weight Throw Final Results | Championship Central
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Junior Andrew Riley won his second career national title on Saturday, as he raced to victory in the 60m hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a personal-best time of 7.58. His mark ranks the fastest time in the NCAA this season and broke his own school record and the facility record at Texas A&M's Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in the event for the second day in a row. Riley completed an undefeated season in the event with the win and scored 10 team points for the Illini, who tied for 22nd at nationals, the highest indoor finish by an Illinois squad since 1998 (17th).
"Andrew ran an awesome race and he needed to for the win," interim head coach Mike Turk said. "He has talked a lot this year about staying focused on just himself and his five hurdles. He kept his focus and did just that. He is such a great competitor and I am so happy for him."
Riley ran the hurdles final in lane four after qualifying with the top time during prelims of 7.60, which was a then-school and facility record along with being the quickest time in the country. Riley burst out of the blocks and cleared the opening hurdle first. He carried that advantage through the next four hurdles and through the finish line, holding off runner-up Barrett Nugent (7.61) of LSU.
"I was just focused on my lane, my hurdles, and the next 15 meters afterwards," Riley said. "I just wanted to get to the first hurdle first, and that's what I did today. The race wasn't as clean as I wanted, but a win is a win and I'm happy for that."
The win rates as the eighth NCAA indoor title in school history and the first since Marko Koers won the 800m in 1993. Riley also joins Koers and long jumper Charlton Ehizuelen as the only Illini to win both an indoor and outdoor national title. The Kingston, Jamiaca, native also won the 110m hurdles crown in June at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
For the season, Riley won the 60m hurdles crown at all six meets he ran, including his third-consecutive Big Ten title in the event. He earned USTFCCCA first-team All-America honors for the finish on Saturday and is now a five-time All-American, as he placed fifth in the 60m hurdles a year ago and sixth in 2009 along with twice garnering the accolade in the outdoor 110m hurdles.
In the weight throw, freshman Davis Fraker wrapped up his indoor season with a 10th-place finish following a mark of 66-7 (20.29m), which was just one centimeter away from advancing to the finals. BYU's Leif Arrhenius took the ninth and last spot in the finals with a throw of 66-7 ¼ (20.30m). Fraker, who broke the school record in his first collegiate throw, was the first Illini ever to qualify for the event and earned second-team All-American honors under the new USTFCCCA system.
"Davis fought and competed well and was so close to making the final," Turk said. "It's heartbreaking to be that close because I know how hard he's worked. He's only a freshman though and will learn from this and use it as motivation to get better. He needs to turn that motivation into a vision for next year and pursuing his own championship."
Up Next: Illinois will have a week off before beginning the outdoor season at the Big Ten vs. SEC Challenge on Saturday, March 26 in Starkville, Miss.
NCAA 60m Hurdles Final Results
1. Andrew Riley, Illinois - 7.58 *NCAA Champion
2. Barrett Nugent, LSU - 7.61
3. Devon Hill, Miami - 7.67
4. Keiron Stewart, Texas - 7.68
5. Jeffrey Julmis, Kansas State - 7.72
6. Brendan Ames, USC - 7.73
7. Keith Hayes, Kentucky - 7.77
8. Wayne Davis II, Texas A&M - 7.85
NCAA Weight Throw Final Results
1. Walter Henning, LSU - 72-8 ½ (22.16m)
2. Alexander Ziegler, Virginia Tech - 69-9 ½ (21.27m)
3. Adonson Shallow, SE Louisiana - 69-6 ¼ (21.19m)
4. J.C. Lambert, Southern Illinois - 69-1 ½ (21.07m)
5. Lonnie Pugh, Michigan State - 69-1 ¼ (21.06m)
6. Alec Faldermeyer, UCLA - 68-3 ¼ (20.81m)
7. Mike Zajac, South Carolina - 67-11 ½ (20.71m)
8. Micah Hegerle, Minnesota - 67-9 ¾ (20.67m)
9. Leif Arrhenius, BYU - 67-1 ¼ (20.45m)
10. Davis Fraker, Illinois - 66-7 (20.29m)
11. Michael Lauro, LSU - 66-4 ¼ (20.22m)
12. Max Mays, Ohio State - 65-10 ½ (20.08m)
13. KP Singh, Oklahoma - 65-3 ½ (19.90m)
14. Marcel Lomnicky, Virginia Tech - 64-7 ¼ (19.69m)
15. Knut Syversen, Memphis - 60-9 ¼ (18.52m)
-- Kevin Mays, Central Michigan - FOUL
