BOSTON – Reminiscent of her NCAA outdoor final last spring, Stanford sophomore Alyssa Jones again thrust herself into the mix as an epic long jump competition grew tense.
This time at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Jones trailed by only 1 inch (two centimeters) going into the sixth and final round of jumps. But while Jones was unable to improve her mark, the lead changed hands twice in the final round with Iowa State's Sydney Willits emerging as the winner.
Jones took third place in 21-10 ¼ (6.66m), nearly matching her runner-up placing in June, and giving her three top-four NCAA finishes in her collegiate career. At NCAA Outdoors in Austin, Jones took the lead on her fourth jump, only to get overtaken in the final round.
Alyssa Jones. Photo by Spencer Allen.
Ky Robinson also took third, running the men's 5,000 meters in 13:27.79 and earning his 11th All-America honor. Robinson became a first-team track and field All-American for the seventh time. Robinson can become a 12-time All-American in the 3,000 on Saturday.
Robinson led for eight laps of the 200-meter circuit at The Track at New Balance, before being overtaken. Northern Arizona's Nico Young, the older brother of Stanford track twins Leo and Lex Young, captured the victory.
Ky Robinson. Photo by Spencer Allen.
The women's 800 was bittersweet for Stanford. Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis, in the same semifinal heat, were in good position for most of the race. Willis led for the first 400, only for BYU's Meghan Hunter to make a bold move.
Whittaker made a charge and caught Hunter at the line in a four-person blanket finish. Though Whittaker (2:03.54) and Willis (2:03.64) finished only 0.10 apart, that was the difference between first and fourth. Only the top three qualified automatically and Willis found herself missing the last time qualifying position by 0.003 and did not advance.
Last year, Willis and Whittaker finished 1-2 in the 800 final, and combined to win the distance medley relay title as well. This year, only Whittaker will race the 800 on Saturday and neither competed in the DMR.
In a wild race that included a wipeout that felled several runners, Stanford placed 10th in the DMR in 11:03.99. The squad was Zofia Dudek, Maya Valmon, Taylor James, and Sophia Kennedy. For James and the freshman Kennedy, it marked their first All-America honors. It was the fifth for Valmon and the third for Dudek.
Stanford's Pac-12 cross-country champion Amy Bunnage was a scratch in the women's 5,000, though teammate Lucy Jenks carried the Cardinal torch and finished 16th, in 16:07.16, earning her third All-America honor and first indoors.
Garrett Brown, a returning first-team indoor All-American, was among three pole vaulters to fail to no-height. Brown went out at the opening height of 17-4 ½ (5.30m).
Thanks to Jones and Robinson, Stanford's men and women each have six points. Both compete on Saturday – Jones in the high jump and Robinson in the 3,000. Whittaker's race, at 4:30 p.m. PT, will close the indoor season for the Cardinal.
Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker. Photo by Spencer Allen.
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NCAA Indoor Championships
At the Track at New Balance
200-meter banked track
Men
Team leaders (after 1 of 2 days) -- 1 (tie), Arkansas and Northern Arizona, each 18; 3 (tie), North Carolina and Oklahoma State, each 13; 13, Stanford 6.
5,000 – 1, Nico Young (Northern Arizona) 13:25.29; 3, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 13:27.79.
Pole vault – 1, Keaton Daniel (Kentucky) 18-8 ¼ (5.70m); Garrett Brown (Stanford) NH.
Women
Team leaders (after 1 of 2 days) -- 1, Florida 24; 2, Notre Dame 18, Ole Miss 16; 14, Stanford 6.
800 semifinals – 7, Juliette Whittaker (Stanford) 2:03.54Q; 10, Roisin Willis (Stanford) 2:03.64).
5,000 – 1, Parker Valby (Florida) 14:52.79; 16, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 16:07.16.
Distance medley relay – 1, BYU 10:51.42; 10, Stanford (Zofia Dudek, Maya Valmon, Taylor James, Sophia Kennedy) 11:03.99.
Long jump – 1, Sydney Willits (Iowa State) 22-2 ½ (6.74m); 3, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 21-10 ¼ (6.66m).
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Stanford's Saturday schedule (all times Pacific)
10 a.m.: Women's high jump final (Alyssa Jones).
2 p.m.: Men's 3,000 final (Ky Robinson).
4:30 p.m.: Women's 800 final (Juliette Whittaker).