University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
NCAA Indoor Championships
Coleman Caps All-American Indoor Season
March 14, 2015 | Track & Field
March 14, 2015
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Christian Coleman put the finishing touches on a remarkable freshman campaign with a sixth-place finish and All-America honors in the men's 60-meter dash Saturday night at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
After qualifying for Saturday's 60 meter finals with a 6.60 on Friday evening, Coleman cashed in with a first team All-America performance in Saturday's final. Amidst a highly competitive field, the true freshman placed sixth in a time of 6.62 to secure three team points for the Volunteer men. With the result, Coleman becomes the first Tennessee sprinter to score in the 60 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships since 2008 when Rubin Williams finished seventh at 6.72. He is also the first UT freshman to score in the event since 2001 when Justin Gatlin's 6.71 earned him fourth place.
As a program, Tennessee has now seen 23 individual scorers in the men's 60-meter dash at the NCAA Championships -- four more than any other program in NCAA history. UT also brings its total points accrued in the event to 119, which ranks first in meet history.
Coleman's time of 6.62 stands in a tie for the fastest recorded by a sixth-place finisher in the history of the Championships. He concludes a rookie indoor campaign that saw him finish inside the top three of the 60 meters in all five of his meets, including a pair of individual wins over his first two outings. He grabbed an SEC bronze in the 60 meters just two weekends ago with another 6.62 performance.
Also competing on the day was junior and women's team captain Cassie Wertman. Making her NCAA debut in the women's shot put, Wertman recorded a throw of 52 feet, 5.25 inches on her first attempt of the day. Unable to improve upon that mark over her next two attempts, she did not advance to the final round of the event. An SEC bronze medalist in the shot put just two weekends ago, Wertman finished in 12th-place overall on Saturday and will take home second team All-America honors from her first-ever trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Tennessee departs from Fayetteville with three All-Americans in tow. Aside from Coleman's effort on Saturday, Jake Blankenship finished as the national runner-up on Friday night in the men's pole vault, and Chelsea Blaase placed fourth in the women's 5000 meters. Both individuals recorded new PRs on Friday night, with Blankenship turning in a lifetime best of 19 feet, 0.25 inches (5.80 meters) and Blaase recording a new career-best time of 15:47.52.
As a team, the 14th-ranked Tennessee men finished in a tie for 17th with 11.0 points while the UT women tied for 38th with 5.0 points.
Vol Track and Field will now turn its attention to the outdoor season, which begins on Thursday at the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa.
MEN'S FINAL RESULTS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Weight Throw: 9. Tavis Bailey, 69-9.75 (21.28); Cameron Brown - f
60m prelim: 6. Christian Coleman, 6.60
Pole Vault: 2. Jake Blankenship, 19-00.25 (5.80)!
60m FINAL: 6. Christian Coleman, 6.62
WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
5000m: 4. Chelsea Blaase, 15:47.52!
Shot Put: 12. Cassie Wertman, 52-5.25 (15.98)
! - Personal Best, $ - SEC Record, a - American Record, b - Banked Track, c - Collegiate Record, adv. - Advanced, dna - Did Not Advance, dnf - Did Not Finish, dnr - Did Not Run, dns - Did Not Score, dq - Disqualified, F - Foul, f - Facility Record, fr - Freshman Record, fr* - Tied Freshman Record, fs - False Start, H - Heptathlon, h - Hand-Timed, mr - Meet Record, nh - No Height, nm - No Mark, P - Pentathlon, sr - School Record, u - Undersized Track, w - wind-aided, wr - World Record
