An “Honorable” Way To Finish A Collegiate Career
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Sam Houston’s Matt Johnson finished 15th in the men’s decathlon finals at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Johnson scored 7,697 points.
His 15th place finish earns the Bearkat senior honorable mention All-America honors.
Starting Thursday’s action with a sixth place 14.56 clocking in the 110 meter hurdles and a decathlon personal best of 156 feet 10 inches in the discus, Johnson climbed into seventh place overall after seven events.
He ended the day with a 16th place finish in the pole vault (14 feet, nine inches), 11th in the javelin (176 feet, five inches) and a 4:52.83 time in the 1500 meters.
The top eight finishers in the event were named as first team All-America and places nine through 16 were second team selections.
Johnson finished just 51 points out of the top 12.
Johnson started Thursday in 14th place after scoring 3,962 points in the initial five events held Wednesday afternoon.
Johnson started Wednesday placing fifth in the 100 meters with a time of 10.70.
He was 15th in the long jump with a leap of 23 feet, 3.25 inches.
In the shot put, Johnson placed 10th with a throw of 44 feet, 5.5 inches.
He was 22nd in the high jump, clearing 6 feet 1.5 inches. Johnson completed Wednesday’s action with a 13th place 50.10 in the 400 meters.
Charles White is the second Sam Houston track and field athlete who has earned a trip to Eugene.
White will compete in the triple jump Saturday evening.
Pair of Bearkats Set To Compete In NCAA Finals
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Competition in the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field championships begins Wednesday at historic Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
Sam Houston’s two entrants will book end the championships as Matt Johnson starts action in the decathlon Wednesday morning and Charles White will compete in one of the final events on Saturday in the triple jump.
Johnson enters the decathlon ranked No. 15 in the field of 24 with a season best mark of 7,496 points.
Four of last season’s top eight decathletes are back this season.
A pair of freshmen also look to compete for the title.
Johannes Jock of Texas is the top seed at 8,293, narrowly ahead of Maicel Uibo of Georgia at 8,223.
Indoor heptathlon national champ Kevin Lazas of Arkansas also is in the field.
Johnson earned his spot in the 2013 NCAA field by winning the Southland Conference championship in May in Lake Charles.
The decathlon will begin at 12 noon (Pacific time) Wednesday, June 5, with the 100 meters.
Other events on Wednesday at the long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 meter dash.
Thursday, June 6, action begins at 11 a.m. (Pacific time) with the 110 hurdles, followed by the discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters.
White will have to wait until the championship’s final day on Saturday, June 8, when the triple jump begins at 12:30 p.m. (Pacific time).
The runner-up at the Southland Conference in May, White finished 12th at the NCAA West Preliminary Round to qualify for the NCAA finals.
His mark of 51 feet, 3.5 inches ranks No. 15 among the event’s 24 competitors.
Teammates Marquis Dendy and Omar Craddock of Florida are the pair to beat in the triple jump.
Dendy won the 2013 NCAA indoor long jump champion title.
Craddock is the only triple jumper in the field to reach 54 feet this outdoor season.
Two others, Dave Brown of Texas A&M and Tarik Batchelor of Arkansas, both have jumped farther than 53 feet.
Johnson and White both have the opportunity to earn All-America honors.
The top eight finishers in each individual event as first team All-America honorees while ninth through 16th places receive second team selection.
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