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Moss, Rollins Claim NCAA Crowns at Indoor National Track & Field Championships

Moss, Rollins Claim NCAA Crowns at Indoor National Track & Field Championships

March 12, 2011

COLLEGE STATION, TX – Clemson’s Miller Moss and Brianna Rollins took home national titles on Saturday to boost Clemson’s performance at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Moss won the heptathlon championship, while Rollins claimed the women’s 60m hurdles. Clemson’s women finished 11th as a team, while the men’s team tied for 22nd. It was the third straight top-20 NCAA finish for the Tiger women’s program.

“Miller set the tone for the day when he hit a big personal best in the hurdles,” said Lawrence Johnson, Clemson’s Director of Track & Field. “He was on fire this weekend. He looked good all the way through. Consistently, since I’ve been here, we’ve produced national champions in this program. I can’t think of many programs in the ACC that consistently bring home a national championship every year. It’s a sign of things to come.”

Moss began the day 55 points back in the race for the heptathlon crown. He quickly showed championship form, however. He was third-best in the 60 hurdles with a personal best, clocking a time of 7.94. His biggest move was in the pole vault, where he cleared a lifetime best 16’0.75″. From there, he cruised to the win with a time of 2:45.15 in the 1000 meters.

Moss’ finish was the best-ever by a Clemson multi-event athlete. The previous best was seventh place. It was the 15th NCAA championship in track & field for the Clemson men’s program, its first since Jacoby Ford won the 60 meter dash in 2009. Ironically, Ford’s championship took place in College Station at the same facility.

Rollins was fastest out of the blocks and never looked back in the hurdles. She blazed to a personal best 7.96, making her the first female in Clemson history to go under eight seconds in the event. She was Clemson’s first champion ever in the women’s hurdles and the first for Johnson, who is renowned nationally for his ability to coach hurdlers. That also gives the women’s program its second NCAA champion under Johnson and the program’s ninth in history. Clemson also had an NCAA champion in men’s and women’s track & field at the same meet for the first time in history.

“One of our goals all year long was to go under eight seconds in the hurdles,” Johnson said. “She worked so hard to get back healthy. She was really focused and motivated throughout the entire season. She got off to a slow start and she was disappointed with her finish at ACCs. I told her to stay focused and she could be a national champion. You could see her poise at the meet. It was really exciting for her.”

April Sinkler was NCAA runner-up in the triple jump, her best national finish in a Clemson uniform. In fact, it was the second straight season a Clemson athlete was runner-up in the event at the indoor national meet. Last season, Patricia Mamona was second before winning the crown outdoors.

It did not come without tense moments, however. Sinkler fouled her first two attempts and hit a legal mark to put her in ninth place after the preliminary round, meaning she was the final contestant to qualify for the finals. Then, on her sixth and final jump she improved to second-best with a leap of 44’2″. It was a personal best for Sinkler, who is No. 3 all-time on Clemson’s performance list for the triple jump.

“Right before April’s last jump in the prelims, when she needed to make the finals, Brianna won the national championship in the 60 hurdles,” Johnson said. “April went firing down that runway and made the finals, and then she put a good jump together on her last one in the finals.”

Marlena Wesh struggled in the final for the women’s 400m dash. She fell during her race, but was able to get up and cross the finish line to score a point for the team in eighth place. Wesh broke her own school record with a time of 52.88 in the prelims.

Outdoor season begins next weekend for Clemson. The Tigers will compete in Miami, FL on March 18-19.

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