TURLOCK, Calif. – Junior
Alfred Kangogo finalized a remarkable track & field season for Alaska
Anchorage by claiming the Seawolves' best finish at the 2011 NCAA Div. II
Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday, with a third-place showing
in the 1500 meters. Joining Kangogo with All-America honors was freshman Susan
Bick in the 800 meters.
At Al Brenda Track, the Seawolves concluded the
championships with five All-America honors, tying the most in program history.
UAA also had five All-America honors in both 2010 and 2009.
Kangogo (of Eldoret, Kenya), who came back from a surgery in
the fall that caused him to redshirt the cross country season, captured UAA's
only podium finish at the meet with a third-place finish in the 1500 meters. The
USTFCCCA West Region Male Track Athlete of the Year, Kangogo registered a time
of three minutes, 57.25 seconds for his second consecutive All-America honor in
the event.
Finishing ahead of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Most Outstanding Male Performer was a pair of Adams State runners in winner
Andrew Graham (3:56.03) and runner-up Ryan McNiff (3:56.76).
Bick, who entered the finals with the sixth-fastest time
from the prelims, claimed All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the
800 meters. The Anchorage (Bartlett HS) native and lone freshman in the finals
was clocked at 2:17.21.
Competing in the women's 1500 meters were freshman Ivy O'Guinn
and junior Miriam Kipng'eno. A local of Soldotna (Skyview HS), O'Guinn wrapped
up her first NCAA appearance with a ninth-place showing with a time of 4:32.59,
while Kipng'eno, from Eldoret, Kenya, was 12th with a time of
4:38.81.
Concluding action for the Seawolves was sophomore Ruth Keino
(Kapcheno, Kenya) and Kipng'eno in the 5,000 meters. Keino finished 14th
with a time of 17:01.62, while Kipng'eno was 16th with a time of
17:10.97.
Collecting All-America honors on May 26 were senior David
Registe (4th) in the long jump and Keino (8th) in the 10,000 meters,
while sophomore Micah Chelimo earned his second career All-America honor in the
3,000-meter steeplechase on May 27 with a sixth-place result.
During the Championships, the Seawolves snagged three school
records. On Thursday, Keino secured the UAA record in the 10K with a time of
34:30.53, while Kipng'eno broke the 1500-meter record with a time of 4:30.36.
On Friday, Bick broke her own record in the 800 meters in the prelim with a
time of 2:10.69.
Overall, the men's team tied for 19th with 14 points, while the women's team tied for 55th with two points. Winning the team title on the men's side was Abilene Christian with 68 points as Grand Valley State won on the women's side with 82.50 points.
Keino and Bick became the first UAA women to register
All-America honors since Kim Brady in 2008 and the first pair since Mandy
Kaempf and Mary Pearce teamed up in 2006.
