June 7, 2012
USTFCCCA Championships Central
DES MOINES, Iowa -
Jon Hill of the University of Maryland hit his career-best at 7 feet, 2-1/2 inches in the men's high jump to place 10th in the nation Thursday at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships being hosted by Drake University.
Also Thursday, Maryland senior Kiani Profit climbed from 19th overall to 10th after the first of two days in the women's heptathlon. Profit had 3,351 points after four of seven events, with two of her strongest events coming on Friday.
Hill made each of his first three heights without a miss before needing a third attempt at 7-2.25. He was one of 12 competitors over at that height. However he missed at 7-4.25, as only six athletes cleared at that height.
Hill, a junior from Walkersville, Md., was 10th based on the number of misses throughout the competition. His clearance at 7-2.50 was his best of the year, after having cleared 7-2.25 twice this season, including his win at the IC4A Championships in May. He had seven jumps of 7 feet or better this year.
Erik Kynard of Kansas State made 7-8 to win the men's high jump, with Derek Drouin of Indiana second at 7-7.
Profit, a three-time All-American for the Terps, opened her day with a 14.04 clocking in the 100-meter hurdles, posting her best mark of the season and winning her heat. In an outstanding field, her time placed her 14th, however, as 12 competitors were under 14 seconds.
The Terrapin senior tied for 14th in the high jump at 5-4.25, moving her to 19th overall halfway through the day.
She rallied over the final two events, however, finishing ninth in the shot put by posting 39-5 on her first attempt. She then finished the day with another heat victory in the 200 at 24.38, also a season-best and just 0.06 seconds off her heptathlon 200 career-best.
Profit is just 84 points out of eighth place, which earns team points in the competition and a potential first-team All-America designation.
Two-time defending champion Brianne Theisen of Oregon is again dominating the NCAA heptathlon, posting 3,803 after the first day. She finished among the top five in all four events, including a 6-0.50 clearance that tied her for first place in the high jump. Barbara Nwaba of UC Santa Barbara is second at 3,596.
The heptathlon competition begins at 4 p.m. ET on Friday with the long jump. Following the javelin, the competition ends with the 800. Friday's events will be broadcast live on ESPN3 starting at 6:30 ET.
On Thursday, Maryland senior Zack Ray finished seventh in his semifinal heat and 21st overall at 52.18 in the 400-meter hurdles. Ray, nursing a sore hamstring suffered at the East Prelims two weeks ago, drew the inside lane in his heat.
Six competitors went under 50 seconds to advance to Friday's 400 hurdles final, with Antonio Blanks of Ohio State going 50.21 to earn the eighth and final qualifying spot in the final. Amaechi Morton of Stanford will be the top seed in the final after posting 49.37 in the semifinals.
- Terps -
