Men Finish Tied for Ninth
SACRAMENTO -- Senior Josh McAdams capped his collegiate career on Saturday, winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2006 NCAA National Track & Field Championships in Sacramento. McAdams, along with an All-America performance by freshman hurdler Chris Carter, helped the BYU men finished tied for ninth place at the national meet.
The Cougars tied with USC and North Carolina for ninth place in the overall team competition. The Cougars finished second to the Trojans two weeks ago at the NCAA West Regional Championships in Provo. Florida State won its first-ever national team championship, outdistancing powerhouse LSU, 67-51.
Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase
McAdams earned the most sought-after title available--that of National Champion. In a personal-best time of 8:34.10, McAdams crossed the line more than a second ahead of the competition. He is the first distance National Champion from BYU since his coach, Ed Eyestone, won the 5,000-meter title in 1985.
"That was unbelievable!" coach Mark Robison said. "What a phenomenal way to finish your collegiate career--from walk-on to National Champion. We're very pleased for Josh."
The race was tight from beginning to end, with McAdams hanging out near the middle for most of the race. He took the lead nearly a lap before the finish and held it until crossing the finish line. The success tops off his West Region and Mountain West Conference Championship wins.
The outcome was far different from his disappointing finish at last year's championships. McAdams was on his way to a top finish when he fell on a final barrier and finished ninth in the event. This is his second All-America honor in the event.
Men's 400-meter Hurdles
Carter, a true freshman from Ogden, Utah, finished third in the 400-meter hurdles with a lifetime best of 49.19 to earn his All-America nod. The time is the second-best in BYU history behind Ralph Mann's world-record time of 48.74 set in 1970. Carter's previous best of 49.67 was set during his first-place finish at the Mountain West Conference Championships.
Jackson State's Michael Tinsley won the event with a time of 48.25.
Men's 1,500 Meters
Freshman standout Kyle Perry didn't quite have that flair he's known for in the 1,500-meter competition at the Championships. The Sandy, Utah, native finished 12th with a time of 3:53.16 in the event. South Alabama's Vincent Rono won the event with a time of 3:44.07.
Perry took second at the West Region Championships two weeks ago and has a season-best time of 3:42.25, which he ran during his MWC win in the event. That time is the sixth-best in Cougar history.