EUGENE, Ore. (6/6/13) – Junior Sharika Nelvis can now add her name to Arkansas State University outdoor track and field's lengthy list of first-team All-Americans in the program by winning her semifinal in the women's 100-meter hurdles this Thursday (June 6) at the 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.
The 2013 NCAA-I Championships are being held from June 5-8 at the historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Nelvis, the 2013 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Outdoor Championships' Most Outstanding Women's Track Performer and All-SBC First-Team selection, is now assured of a top eight-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles as the top eight qualifiers to the finals automatically earn first-team All-America honors. She becomes the Arkansas State women's outdoor track program's first two-time All-American to date and represents the sixth time in which a Red Wolves' women's track athlete has gained All-America honors for the outdoor season.
Nelvis, who will be advancing to this Saturday's (June 8) national final, posted a semifinal second-heat best and A-State outdoor record 12.84 time in lane four to top seven other participants while shattering her previous best of 12.99 clocked at the 2012 NCAA West Preliminaries (5/24) in Austin, Texas. Moreover, Nelvis' performance represented the second-fastest time in the national meet's three heats, second only to Clemson's Brianna Rollins' NCAA meet-record 12.47 time, and is a new SBC outdoor mark.
A season ago, Nelvis attained All-America Second-Team accolades at the 2012 NCAA Championships (6/6) in Des Moines, Iowa, after turning in a 16th-place showing in the 100-meter hurdles semifinals with a 13.23 time.
Arkansas State also received a noteworthy performance from senior Solomon Williams, who made his national meet debut in the men's 110-meter hurdles and came away earning second-team All-America plaudits. Williams' generated a 13.80 time in lane three to place fifth in the event's third and final heat, just missing his personal-best of 13.78 established at the 2012 NCAA West Prelims (5/24). Despite not being among the top eight qualifiers for Saturday's (June 8) finals, Williams registered the 12th-fastest time in the combined 23-member field. Williams, the 2013 SBC Outdoor Championships' Most Outstanding Men's Field Performer and first-team All-SBC honoree, claimed a spot among those who placed ninth through 16th to receive All-America Second-Team status.
“We had an outstanding day,” said A-State head coach Jim Patchell. “Sharika (Nelvis) really put it all together at the right time and ran a great race to earn first-team All-America honors for the first time. I thought Solomon (Williams) did great as well, tying his personal best and claiming All-America Second-Team recognition. We're looking forward to another good day tomorrow (Friday) with Stephanie (Foreman) competing in the pole vault.”
Senior Stephanie Foreman will seek to join Nelvis in earning first-team All-America accolades this 2013 outdoor season as she competes in the women's pole vault final this Friday (June 7) at 5:15 p.m. (CT). Foreman, a 2013 All-SBC First-Team recipient, received All-America Second-Team accolades in the pole vault at the 2011 NCAA Championships (6/11) in Des Moines, Iowa.
Video coverage for the final two days (June 7-8) will be available live starting each day with Pac-12 Live Stream and then via ESPNU. Fans with mobile devices can access the action at the WatchESPNapp.
2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Live Results
Television/Webcast
Friday (June 7), 2:30-6:30 p.m. (CT), Pac-12 Live Stream; 6:30-9 p.m. (CT), ESPNU
Saturday (June 8), 2:30-4 p.m. (CT), Pac-12 Live Stream; 4-6 p.m. (CT), ESPNU
