Garcia Jou and Siefring Spark Akron on Final Day of NCAA Track and Field Championships

Saturday, June 11

University of Akron

NCAA Outdoor Championships

Garcia Jou and Siefring Spark Akron on Final Day of NCAA Track and Field Championships

June 11 | Track & Field

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EUGENE, Ore. – University of Akron senior Claudia Garcia Jou (Barcelona, Spain) capped her stellar collegiate career garnering first-team All-America accolades for the fourth time placing third in the women's high jump on the final day of the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, June 11, to direct the Zips' efforts at historic Hayward Field.

"Claudia was close to winning it all," Akron head coach Dennis Mitchell commented. "She finished better than she did here last year and finishes her career here at Akron doing so many great things for the program, she will be missed. All three seniors did great things for the program and will be missed."

Garcia Jou opened the competition clearing bars at 5-8 (1.73m), 5-10 (1.78m) and 5-11.50 (1.82m), respectively, on her first jumps at each height to race to the lead in the event.

She then narrowly missed eclipsing the bar at 6-0.75 (1.85m) on her initial run at the height. With all nine remaining jumpers missing clearance of the bar on their first attempts, Garcia Jou took two more stabs at the mark seeking to potentially earn Akron's ninth NCAA individual national championship. Unfortunately, she was unable to clear the height and tied Kaitlin Whitehorn of Dartmouth for third place.

Sophomore Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) earned second-team All-America honors in the heptathlon after finishing the seven-event competition with a cumulative score of 5,626, a total that was one point of equaling her career-best total in the event.

She opened second-day competition jumping 19-7.50 (5.98m) in the long jump, the 11th-best effort.

Siefring followed registering a mark of 122-1 (37.21m) in the javelin, the 15th-best throw in the event.

She capped her NCAA Championship performance winning the 800 meters in 2:14.57.

"Jackie finished ahead of where she was ranked in the heptathlon," said Mitchell. "She capped it off with winning the 800 meters."

Akron finished with 6.5 points (41st) in the women's team competition, while the men's recorded 10 points (T-23rd).

"It was a memorable week of ups and downs," explained Mitchell. "In the end, Akron made a great name for itself. Of course the highlight was Clayton's performance as he seemed to be the big talk of the meet. We look forward to what is next for the program at the Junior championships and mostly the Olympic Trials."

A number of Zips, including juniors Phil Jagers (Solon, Ohio) and Clayton Murphy (New Paris, Ohio) will return to Eugene, Ore., to compete at the United States Olympic Trials, July 1-10. Several other Akron student-athletes are among those still vying for the final berths into the Olympic Trials, which will be announced later this month.

SATURDAY WOMEN'S FINALS:
High Jump: Claudia Garcia Jou (3rd-5-11.50/1.82m)

HEPTATHLON: Jackie Siefring (12th-5,626); 100-Meter Hurdles: Siefring (15th-13.91); High Jump: Siefring (19th-5-4.25/1.63m); Shot Put: Siefring (16th-37-3/11.35m); 200 Meters: Siefring (9th-24.97); Long Jump: Siefring (11th-19-7.50/5.98m); Javelin: Siefring (15th-122-1/37.21m); 800 Meters: Siefring (1st-2:14.57)

FRIDAY MEN'S FINALS:
1,500 Meters: Clayton Murphy (1st-3:36.38); High Jump: Curtis Richardson (13th-6-10.25/2.09m), Cody Stine (13th-6-10.25/2.09m); Discus: Phil Jagers (DNF-FOUL)

THURSDAY WOMEN'S FINALS:
Pole Vault: Caroline Hasse (7th-13-9.25/4.20m)

DECATHLON: Alex McCune (21st-6.575); 100 Meters: McCune (19th-11.23); Long Jump: McCune (16th-22-6.50/6.87m); Shot Put: McCune (5th-46-9/14.25m); High Jump: McCune (18th-6-2.25/1.89m); 400 Meters: McCune (23rd-52.49); 110-Meter Hurdles: McCune (16th-14.99); Discus: McCune (6th-140-7/42.85m); Pole Vault: McCune (DNF-NH); Javelin: McCune (9th-188-0/57.30m); 1,500 Meters: McCune (21st-4:56.17)

WEDNESDAY MEN'S PRELIMINARIES:
1,500 Meters: Clayton Murphy (12th-3:49.03)

WEDNESDAY MEN'S FINALS:
Pole Vault: Matt Rowland (20th-16-10.75/5.15m); Long Jump: Terrell McClain (10th-24-6.50/7.48m), Joe Oduho (15th-24-3.75/7.41m)