March 13, 2010
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Junior Stacey Wannemacher earned another spot in the Purdue record books on Saturday afternoon, becoming the first Boilermaker in school history to earn placing points in the women's shot put at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. She led the Purdue women's squad to a national placing in the team standings, earning two points for her seventh-place finish in the event.
Wannemacher had already assaulted the Boilermaker record books heading into the weekend, holding both the Boilermakers' indoor and outdoor records in the women's shot put, and earning the first All-America award in school history in the women's shot put at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She became the first woman in school history to qualify for the national indoor meet in multiple events this season, earning a bid in the weight throw and finishing 11th in the country in the event yesterday, and following it up with a seventh-place showing in the shot put to place Purdue in the team-point standings for the third time in the last four years.
She opened Saturday's competition with a pair of decent throws, hurling 15.24 meters (50-00.00) on her first attempt and 15.99 meters (52-05.50) on her second. However, her third preliminary throw put her in the money as she tossed a mark of 16.47 meters (54-00.25) to match her career best and school record and qualify for the finals. Although unable to increase her top with her additional three throws in the finals, Wannemacher still bested Big Ten rivals Aja Evans of Illinois and Faith Sherrill of Indiana, and will earn her second career All-America award when announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association this week.
Senior Brianna Neumann and freshman Geoff Davis also competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday as Neumann took a shot at national honors in the women's pole vault, while Davis made his national meet debut in the men's high jump. Neumann tied for 12th in the pole vault, clearing 4.20 meters (13-09.50) clean, while Davis tied for 13th in the high jump with a mark of 2.14 meters (7-00.25).
Final team scores for the NCAA Indoor Championships will be attached upon the conclusion of the event. The Boilermakers kick off the outdoor season in just two weeks, heading to Tempe, Ariz., for the Arizona State Invitational.