Barker National Runner-Up In Heptathlon
The junior comes throught with another strong second day, including an individual victory in the javelin, to earn second place at the NCAA Division III Championships
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LISLE, Ill. - Pacific University's Brooke Barker (Jr., Eugene, Ore.) is the national runner-up in the heptathlon, earning the second All-American trophy of career Friday at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, held at Benedictine University near Chicago.
Barker reset her own school record in a strong second day of competition, finishing with a total of 4,834 points. She set her previous record of 4,647 points at last year's NCAA Championships when she finished sixth. Calvin's Christine Hendricks won the national championship with her effort of 5.012 points, while Hope's Lindsay Lange, who was first entering the final three events, faded to third with 4,790 points.
"It was a good day," said Pacific Head Track and Field Coach Ron Tabb. "We knew that we would have an uphill battle in order to win it, but are very happy with it. She had a good effort, but we will have some to work to do in the hurdles to get her ready for a run at the title next year."
Barker entered Friday in fifth place after a strong first day that saw her establish season bests in all four events. She dropped into sixth place after the long jump, falling just short of another season best with a leap of 16 feet, 5.25 inches.
Her strongest event of all followed. The national leader in the javelin, Barker's winning throw of 143 feet, 1 inch was the best of the day by 13 feet, and the 737 points that it earned her vaulted Barker into second place for good. Barker finished up with a season best in the 800 meters, coming across in 10th with a time of 2:26.45.
Barker had pulled a similar leap at the 2005 championships, finishing sixth as a sophomore after finishing the first day in 13th place.
The finish makes Barker the first back-to-back All-American in any sport at Pacific since Brian Springberg, who placed in four consecutive national wrestling tournaments between 1994 and 1999. She stands a shot to become the first two-event track All-American in school history if she placed in the javelin, which begins Saturday at 9:00 a.m. PDT.
Along with Barker, DeeDee Arnall (Sr., Warrenton, Ore.) will be participating in the javelin, and the pair stands a chance to finish one-two for the Boxers. Barker currently owns the best mark in Division III at 153 feet, 10 inches, while Arnall is second in the nation at 152 feet, 11 inches.
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on May 26, 2006 at 2:28 PM
