College notebook: Saint Martin’s, Evergreen crown All-Americans at indoor track and field championships
For the first time in program history, Saint Martin’s University recorded a national runner-up and two All-Americans at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Mikel Smith, a junior, became the only three-time All-American with a second-place finish in the high jump on Saturday. He cleared a season-best mark of 6-foot-11 — Texas A&M-Kingsville's Jeron Robinson took first at 7-3. Smith was ranked 12th entering the meet.
“Mikel had an absolutely amazing day, as his first of three misses took place at what would have been a PR height," SMU coach Jim Brewer said. “He cleared each height on his first attempt including his second-best jump at 6-11.
“We are really happy and excited for his success this meet. There are a lot of people who are a part of this from his high school coach who drove down from Oklahoma, his trainers at SMU and (assistant coach Kyle) Stevenson, who has done an excellent job working with him.”
Smith holds the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and SMU record in the high jump for indoors and outdoors — his career best is 7-0 1/2, which he set at the UW Preview last year.
“It was really exciting to (compete) for my family which I haven't seen in over a year,” Smith said. “Also, my high school coach came to watch me jump. They gave me the adrenaline I needed to compete well today. I am just really happy for all of the support from my family to my teammates.”
Shannon Porter became SMU’s first female indoor All-American with an eighth-place finish in the 3,000-meter run. She ran a career-best, school-record time of 9:35.31.
“I am very grateful to be here,” Porter said. “It was a rough start to the weekend. It was great racing with my older sister Georgia in both the 5K and 3K. I am happy to represent Saint Martin’s especially with my finish in the 3K. I really wanted that All-American spot.”
TWO EARN NAIA ALL-AMERiCAN GLORY
The Evergreen State College’s Anthony Johnson took sixth in the triple jump at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday in Johnson City, Tennessee to pick up his sixth career All-American honor.
Johnson finished with a jump of 47-2 1/2. He took second in the high jump a day earlier at 7-1 to earn his fifth All-American honor.
Zeb Hoffman — a 36-year-old junior and Capital High School product who returned to Evergreen this year to finish degree work that he started in the late 1990s — took second in the weight throw (64-11 1/2) to become an All-American for the first time.
Johnson and Hoffman combined for 19 points. Evergreen tied for 13th as a team with Indiana Wesleyan — the best finish in program history.
MCGILL SETS REBOUNDING RECORD
South Puget Sound Community College freshman Savannah McGill — a River Ridge High School product — broke a 26-year-old rebounding record in the Clippers’ final game on March 5.
McGill pulled down 10 boards to finish the season with 456 rebounds — a Northwest Athletic Conference single-season record.
Blue Mountain Community College’s Renae Briggs set the previous record (453) in 1990. McGill’s rebounding average (15.7) is second all-time to Griggs’ (16.7).
“This record is an indication of all the hard work Savannah and her teammates have put in since September,” SPSCC coach Michael Moore said. “This may be an individual record, but Savannah will give all the credit to her teammates as she is a very selfless person both on and off the court.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2016 at 11:56 AM with the headline "College notebook: Saint Martin’s, Evergreen crown All-Americans at indoor track and field championships."