CROUSER WINS SHOT PUT AT NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
EUGENE, Ore. - All-American Ryan Crouser capped off an impressive outdoor season with his first national shot-put title and second in the history of the eighth-ranked Texas men’s track and field program on the opening day of the NCAA Outdoor Championships
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The sophomore, who grew up less than two hours from Eugene, Ore., site of the four-day meet, only had one legal throw among his six attempts, but his toss of 66 feet, 7 3/4 inches (20.31m) was all he needed to outduel the 24-man field in Wednesday’s competition.
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Crouser, the national leader by more than five feet coming into the meet, almost didn’t reach the finals of the shot put.
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“It was an exciting competition to say the least,” said Crouser who was competing in the first of two 12-man flights. “I didn’t think I fouled the first one. We protested it and it came back as a foul. I fouled again on the second throw and then you need to be in the top nine to make the finals. So it’s a make it or break it situation on the third one. I felt like my heart was beating 200 times a minute going into the last throw (of the first round), but I got one in.”
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Crouser edged Jordan Clarke of Arizona State who posted a mark of 66-6 1/2 (20.28m) on his second throw in flight two, but like Crouser, he could not improve during his three attempts in the finals.
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This isn’t the first NCAA title for the Crouser family. His uncle, Dean Crouser, was a three-time NCAA champion for Oregon, winning the shot put and discus in 1982 and the discus in 1983. Another uncle, Brian Crouser, is a two-time NCAA javelin champion (1982, 1985).
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Crouser also won in front his family, many of whom made the drive from Boring, Ore., which is just outside Portland.
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“It was great,” Crouser. “I don’t get to come home that much. Anytime I get to compete with my family around it’s awesome. My grandparents are my biggest fans and they were here today.”
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The Longhorns, who are tied for first with 10 points after two scored events, put two other performers in line to score on Wednesday.
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Freshman Johannes Hock sits in third and senior Isaac Murphy is fifth after the opening day of the decathlon.
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Hock, the national leader and Big 12 champion in the event, collected 4,224 points by finishing in the top four in three events, including a second-place showing in the shot put 48-8 1/4 (14.84m).
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Isaac Murphy, who tallied 4,201, was fourth in the shot put with a personal-best 45-7 1/4 (13.91m) and second in the 100 meters in 10.61w seconds.
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Jeffrey Taiwo of Washington leads the shot put with a total of 4,389. Curtis Beach of Duke is second with 4,383.
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Another freshman Reese Watson had a solid effort in the pole vault. He matched his career best with a clearance of 17-8 1/2 (5.40m) and finished tied for 12th.
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Notes:
• Ryan Crouser won the second shot put title in the history of the Texas men’s program. Dana LeDuc captured the shot put in 1976.
• This was the fourth consecutive year in which the Longhorns scored in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Hayden Baillio was sixth in 2010 and fourth in 2011. Jacob Thormaehlen was seventh last year.
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TEXAS ENTRIES/RESULTS – NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Eugene, Ore. • Hayward Field • All times Central
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Wednesday, June 5
• 400 Meters – Semifinal: 21. Zack Bilderback, 47.24
• 3,000-Meter Steeplechase: 17. Trevor Van Ackeren, 9:01.72
• Pole Vault – Final: t-12. Reese Watson, 17-8 1/2 (5.40m)
• Shot Put – Trials/Final: 1. Ryan Crouser, 66-7.75 (20.31m); 12. Hayden Baillio, 60-5 (18.41m); 15. Will Spence, 59-5.75 (18.13m)
• 100 Meters (Decathlon): 2. Isaac Murphy, 10.61 w2.4 (949); 4. Johannes Hock, 10.69 w2.4 (931)
• Long Jump (Decathlon): 4. Johannes Hock 24-5.50/7.45m (922), 6. Isaac Murphy 24-4.50/7.43m w3.8 (918)
• Shot Put (Decathlon): 2. Johannes Hock, 48-8.25/14.84m (780); 5. Isaac Murphy, 45-7.25/13.91m (723)
• High Jump (Decathlon): t-11. Johannes Hock, 6-5/1.96m (723); 16. Isaac Murphy, 6-2.75/190m (714)
• 400 Meters (Decathlon): 3. Isaac Murphy, 48.25 (897); 10. Johannes Hock, 49.80 (824)
• Decathlon – Through Five Events: 3. Johannes Hock, 4224; 5. Isaac Murphy, 4201
