Weber Wins Pentathlon, Posts Automatic NCAA Point Total Friday at JRF Multi-Event Challenge

Jan. 30, 2009

Clemson, SC – Liane Weber of the women’s track & field team won the pentathlon Friday at the JRF Multi-Event Challenge with an NCAA automatic qualifying total of 4,135 points. The total improved on her school record, which was 4,089 points coming into Friday’s competition. Weber was one of three Clemson athletes to surpass NCAA qualifying standards on Friday.

Weber began the pentathlon with a time of 8.72 in the 60m hurdles, a personal best for the Wangen, Germany native. She followed suit with a clearance of 5’7.75″ in the high jump, then recorded a throw of 37’0.25″ in the shot put. Weber put distance on the field in the long jump, where she turned in a personal best 19’8″ mark. She closed the deal in the 800m after a time of 2:19.74.

Weber was the 2007 ACC champion in the pentathlon and ACC Freshman-of-the-Year as well. She qualified for the NCAA Championships in the pentathlon in 2007 as well.

Patricia Mamona, Clemson’s outstanding jumper, displayed her versatility Friday by finishing runner-up and nearly posting an automatic point total herself. The Portugal native tallied 4,011 points, the second-best pentathlon total in school history, and qualified for the NCAA Championships provisionally in the five-event slate.

Linda Buchholz was fourth in the pentathlon Friday. She posted a total of 3,664 points and her best event was the high jump, where she matched Weber with a 5’7.75″ clearance.

Mamona’s best event was the opening 60m hurdles, where she turned in a personal best time of 8.52 seconds. Her time was good enough for eighth-best in school history in the event on the women’s side. She had a high jump of 5’6.5″, also the eighth-best clearance in school history in that event.

Miller Moss of Clemson leads the heptathlon after four of seven events with a total of 3,092 points. The final three events will be held Saturday. The Sumter, SC product began his competition with personal bests in the 60m dash (6.97), long jump (23’1.25″), and shot put (42’10.25″). The sophomore concluded the first day with a solid outing in the high jump, as he cleared 6’2.25″. Moss, the defending champion in the event, had 2,929 points after day one at the 2008 meet.

C.J. Spiller (6.75). Ford’s 6.58 is a season-best and the national-leading time in the event. Ra’Sheena Parker (8.02) was fifth for Clemson.

Amy Morrison won the women’s pole vault by setting a personal best in the event. The red-shirt freshman from Michigan cleared 12’4″, nudging the bar on the way down. However, it never fell from its position. She ranks sixth in school history in the event with her clearance. Emily Barlage (11’5.75″) was runner-up.

Alex Padgett won the men’s weight throw. The sophomore from Rock Hill, SC posted a mark of 56’6″, slightly a personal best. Stephen White was runner-up with a throw of 53’0″, also a personal best.

The action returns Saturday morning at 10:00 AM with the men’s high jump and women’s shot put. The first running event will be the 60m hurdles portion of the heptathlon at 11 AM.