FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—The Arizona State track and field teams wrapped the final day of competition at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center with a national runner-up in the mile in senior Shelby Houlihan.
A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Houlihan ran 4:82.71, knocking two seconds off her previous school record of 4:30.77, which she ran a month ago at the 2015 NYRR Millrose Games in New York. Her finish was also faster than the previous meet record, set by Tennessee’s Sarah Bowman at 4:29.72 in 2009.
“Our women finished inside the top-25, because we got big points from Shelby Houlihan,” Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft said. “It was really a very brave effort from her today, running the fifth-fastest time in the mile ever, the fastest non-winning time in NCAA history in the mile, and then showed a lot of courage with the short turn-around running the 9:09 in the 3000m and getting us one more point. That’s really enormous.”
Houlihan also earned All-America honors in the 3000m run finals, finishing in eighth at 9:09.61, and bringing her career total of All-America accolades to 10. Five such honors have come in indoor competition.
This also marks the first time a Sun Devil woman earned two first-team All-America honors since Sarah Stevens accomplished the feat in the shot put and weight throw in 2009.
Senior Cameron Taylor earned his first career All-America accolade, finishing fourth in the 60m hurdles in 7.75.
Senior Brianna Tate placed seventh overall in the 400m dash finals at 52.67, earning the third All-America honor in her career, the first in an individual event.
“Brianna Tate got her first individual All-America honor, scoring seventh in the 400m, so our women were inside the top-25,” Kraft said. “You always have the ability to do that, but you either have to hit 10s or have a lot of people qualify for the meet. We’ve been here before when we’ve had 14 individuals make the meet and not make the top-25, and we’ve been here with a small amount and trophied, so it’s just one of those things.”
In the field, redshirt senior Bryan McBride earned second-team All-America honors as he placed 14th in the high jump with a clearance of 2.15m (7-0.50), the sixth honor in his career.
ASU finished with 11 team points, placing in a tie for 21st, while the men finished with six points for 31st. The Arkansas women won the team tile with 63 points, while Oregon defended its men’s title with 74 points.
“All in all when you look at the season we’ve had, top-three finishes at the MPSF Championships, sweeping Arizona there for the Territorial Cup Series points, and coming here and getting our women in the top-20, those are significant Director’s Cup points,” Kraft said. “You have to give it a very solid effort for these athletes, but as we know in the world of cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field, the outdoor season will start on Monday afternoon, so we’ll enjoy this for a little bit, and then it’s time to get to work.”
Up next, the Sun Devils will open the 2015 outdoor and home slate, hosting the Baldy Castillo Invitational on March 20-21 at Sun Angel Stadium.
Quotes
More From Head Coach Greg Kraft
“We started off on a bit of a sour note, Bryan McBride struggled today in the high jump and failed to score, which really set us back. Cam Taylor rebounded nicely for us, scored five solid points for us with his fourth-place finish in the 60m hurdles, became an All-American. When you look at the team results, it’s always pretty similar. If you can get to the high teens, the 20-point margin, you can be in the top-10. We had that type of possibility, but we fell short. I think our men are going to be just outside the top-25.”
Distance Coach Louie Quintana
“Shelby was great today. The mile was a terrific race, her time was the second-fastest time ever run at the NCAA Championships. She did everything she could, ran a two second personal best and when you do that and still get beat, hats off to Leah O’Connor from Michigan State, who ran a great race, set the meet record, which is what she had to do to beat Shelby today. For Shelby to come back and score in the 3000m was really a tremendous, gutsy performance. It’s something that I hope our group at home sees and really kind of takes to heart, what she did her in a two-hour span in probably the greatest NCAA women’s distance championships in history. It was an impressive performance for her and is a testament to who she is as a person and as an athlete. With what she’s meant to this program, it’s going to be tough to see her go.”
Ten-Time All-American Senior Shelby Houlihan
“I was really happy with how I did in both the mile and the 3000m. Coming in second and PR-ing by two seconds was awesome. I feel like I gave it everything I had in the mile and then everything I had in the 3000m. I just tried to get that last eighth place so I could get that first-team All-America honor, and I’m just really proud of myself.”
Arizona State Results
Women’s Team Placement
21. ASU – 11 points
Men’s Team Placement
31. ASU – 6 points
Men’s High Jump
14. Bryan McBride – 2.15m (7-0.50) (Second-Team All-American)
Women’s Mile Finals
2. Shelby Houlihan – 4:28.71 (NCAA Runner-Up) (PR, School Record, All-American)
Men’s 60m Hurdles Finals
4. Cameron Taylor – 7.75 (All-American)
Women’s 400m Dash Finals
7. Brianna Tate – 52.67 (All-American)
Women’s 3000m Run Finals
8. Shelby Houlihan – 9:09.61 (All-American)