NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships - Day One Quotes

NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
WEDNESDAY QUOTES
Wednesday, June 11, 2008

First-Day Notes
Attendance: 8,841

DRAKE STADIUM RECORD
Texas A&M women set a Drake Stadium record in the 4x100 relay in 43.19, bettering previous mark of 43.29 which it set during 2007 NCAA Midwest Regional held at Drake

Brittany Riley, Sr., Southern Illinois, women's hammer throw, top qualifier in prelims at (211-7, 64.49m), 2007 NCAA runner-up. She ranks third on the U.S. collegian list this spring at 225-8 (68.79m)

On her performance today:
“I automatically qualified (for Friday's finals) on my first throw. That's what I was going for, so I was happy.”

On her qualifying throw:
“I was aggressive. It (throw) was a little bit of a bad release, but it was good enough or powerful enough to go over auto, so I'm relieved that it's over with.”

On her past experience of throwing at Drake:
“I love throwing here. I feel like I kind of have an advantage because I've thrown here so many times.”

Eva Orban, Jr., USC, women's hammer throw, second in prelims at 210-11 (64.30m). She was runner-up in 2006 NCAA meet and third in 2007.

On making the Friday automatic mark on her first throw:
“I'm really happy with that (the throw) because I just got back from injury (knee, about a month ago). I'm ready to throw far on Friday…I enjoyed the competition today.

On her awareness of Brittany Riley, who had the longest throw:
“I didn't see her. The game's on Friday (at finals). Friday's competition is the more important one, so it (throw) doesn't really matter (today).”

Walter Dix, Sr., Florida State, men's 100-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay, 2007 NCAA champion, 2006 NCAA runner-up.

On winning heat two of the 100-meter dash prelims in 10.57.
“It felt like slow motion. There wasn't anybody moving. It was a relaxed race.”

On his start:
“I popped up a little bit. It'll get better.”

On overcoming an earlier injury:
“The hamstring (left) feels good. I'm just trying to work my way back and get a good lane for the finals.”

On Florida State's performance in the 4x100-meter relay:
“Everybody ran strong. We're in good position right now.”

On advancing to the 100m final:
I had a nice relaxed finish. I tried to focus on my start. I came out pretty good and made it to the finals. My start was real good in the second race (100) more so than the first race. I pulled up on his shoulder (Trindon Holliday) and relaxed to the finish line."

Elizabeth Adeoti, So., Texas A&M, 4x100 relay, who ran lead-off leg for defending champions who posted the fastest qualifying time in semifinals while setting Drake Stadium record of 43.19.

On getting their first race out of the way at the NCAA meet:
“I'm just excited to be back and defend our title…hopefully.”

On how smooth the exchanges went in the preliminary race:
“I think everything worked well. We need to continue to trust each other and we'll be fine.”

On not only qualifying for finals, but setting a new Drake Stadium record:
“We just try to make sure we got our passes so we can be ready for the finals and get a good lane.”

Simone Facey, Sr., Texas A&M, 4x100-meter relay, third leg. Facey was the 2007 NCAA runner-up in the 200-meter dash.

On performing so well in their first race on Drake's track:
“We're here to defend our national championship (in the 4x100 relay) and we just have to go out there and execute. After that, I just wanted to concentrate on my individual event and what I have to do there.”

On posting a Drake Stadium record time in semifinals:
“We weren't surprised because we know what we can do. We came out here to qualify for the next round, so it wasn't a surprise for us to run 43.19.”

On coming back to win her heat in the 100-meter dash (1st round)
“It is going to come down to who finishes the best (in the 100 finals Friday vs. LSU's defending champ Kelly-Ann Baptiste). My main focus is to do what I do best and that is to execute and focus on what I have to do to win the race.”

Ashton Eaton, sophomore, Oregon who is first-day leader in decathlon with 4,289 points:
On the 100 meters:
“The 100 meters was decent. There was a headwind all day so you just had to deal with that.”

On the long jump:
“I was happy. Anything close to a personal record is good.”

On the shot put:
“Practice has gone well in the shot, so I felt good going into that.”

On the high jump:
“The high jump is one of those events where I'll always be disappointed, because no matter what happens you always end on a miss. It was kind of inconsistent.”

On the 400 m:
“It felt good. A couple of times the wind picked up, but you just have to battle through it. That's just part of being an athlete.”

On the weather affecting day one:
“My performances were probably affected, but so were everyone else's. The decathlon is all about differential. Everyone is affected, you just have to perform better.”

On his performance in day one and what he wants to do in day two:
“You always want to win. I just need to stay smart tomorrow and do the same thing.”

Jake Dunkleberger, Sr., Auburn, (223-8; 68.17m) automatically qualified for finals with the top throw in the first flight. He is the defending NCAA champion in the event.
“I just wanted to get qualified, I guess, so throwing at a number (219-10, 67.00m, automatic standard) probably slowed me down a little bit. But I got qualified and that's all that really matters.”

On how he approaches preliminary competition as the defending champion:
“Usually in the round of qualifying, I just like to chill out and build a rhythm on the ring for the Friday competition. And usually, my rhythm throws are good enough to throw 66 or 68. And so that's what I was trying to do today. Hopefully, that will carry into Friday, and that's the idea.”

On his rivalry with teammate Cory Martin, who was third a year ago but beat him at the Drake Relays:
“I don't know, Cory and I do our own things. We just show up and compete and whoever has the better day comes out on top. We don't really have a competition thing going on. We just both want to win.”

Brittney Reese, Jr., Mississippi 21-7, hit the qualifying mark for finals on her first jump. She was the 2008 NCAA indoor champion and runner-up outdoor in 2007.
“I was just trying to hit it and get in for the next day. I felt loose from running the 4x1 (relay) earlier today. I felt better because my knee's been bothering me a little bit. When I went up there and started doing my run-throughs, I felt a little bounce. I said 'I know I can get the automatic, so I'm just going to go out and do what I can and come back tomorrow.'”

On the confidence she feels on this runway after winning at Drake Relays:
“It was big, last time (winning at Drake). This time, I'm trying to go for the big 23 (feet), so I'm leaving it on the track tomorrow.”

2008 NCAA Indoor champion Ebba Jungmark, Fr., Washington State, women's high jump finalist.
On her season so far:
“I started the season late because I am going back home to Sweden to start competing next week. I have only done three meets so far. Before today I have been struggling with technique.

On competing at Drake Stadium:
“I liked the surface. It was fast and it had a good bounce. The power of the surface does not disappear when you take off.”

The finals:
“I have not thought about the finals. I had to get there first.”

Sharon Day, Sr., Cal Poly, women's high jump NCAA leader, 2005 champion, 4th at 2007 NCAA Championships.
“It was my first time competing in the Midwest. The humidity and thunderstorms remind me of Texas.”

2008 NCAA Indoor 55 champ Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Sr., Louisiana State, who had top qualifying mark in 100 semis at 11.78.
“I wasn't really thinking about making the finals during my race, I was just thinking about running MY race.”

On her qualifying run:
“Porscha (Lucas, Texas A&M) did not qualify) and I were supposed to go head to head, but since she didn't make it that just gives us (LSU) an extra boost for the finals.”

Jenny Barringer, Jr., Colorado, 2006 NCAA 3,000 steeplechase champion.
“I love this stadium. When I am out there doing my thing, it is a good feeling when you hear all these people cheering you.”

On her race today:
“I feel like I did really well. I did a good job of running the way I can without having someone else dictate what I will do.”

Two-time defending champion Sally Kipyego, Sr., Texas Tech, winner of heat one in women' 5,000 (17:23.14).
On race strategy:
“Today my goal was to make the final and run as easy as I could to make the top six.”

On taking the lead at the two-mile mark:
“At that point we were really crowded and I just felt like going out and trying to create some distance among the competitors. Somebody had to go out so we could get in our six positions. That way I did not have to worry about kicking it in down the home stretch.”

Billy Nelson, Sr., Colorado, winner of heat one of men's 3,000 steeplechase in 8:44. 77 which was fastest qualifying time.
On taking the early lead:
“I took out the pace early and I wanted to get things going. We wanted to keep the pace a little bit honest being that it was the first heat.”

On his finish and slip:
“I slipped on the railing at the end because I was looking at scoreboard to see where I was at. It was stupid mistake.”

Peter Kosgei, Sr., Arkansas, winner of heat two of men's 3,000 steeplechase in 8:47.86.
On his race:
“I had a lot left and I went out at my own pace. It felt really good. I did not want anyone to pass me at the end, so I pushed it.”

Dusty Jonas, Sr., Nebraska, men's high jump, qualified for the finals. He was the 2008 NCAA indoor champ.

On being relaxed while jumping with Kansas State's Scott Sellers in the prelims:
“In prelims, everybody can go out there and be loose, because you're just trying to make it to finals. Jumping with Scott, we've been jumping forever and we're just used to it. We've been here before. It's not our first time at Drake, so it feels comfortable.”

On approaching finals differently:
“It's all the same to me. Why go into something if you're not going to have fun with it? Indoors (nationals), we (he and Sellers) talk a lot. At the Big 12s', we talk a lot and joke around. We don't take it too seriously because you have to go out there and have fun. He probably gets tired of me talking.”

Scott Sellers, Jr.., Kansas St., men's high jump, qualified for the finals. He is the defending NCAA outdoor champ and 2008 indoor runner-up.
On competing with Jonas in the same flight, since they're probably the favorites and regular rivals in the Big 12 Conference:
“I like it because it's someone to talk to. I've known him for so long and so well that he's kind of a familiar face. I look forward to jumping against him.”

On almost being like teammates with Jonas, because he sees him so much:
“We both know each other's coaches and we see each other at half the meets during the year. So in a way, it kind of does feel like that. This year, he actually came down to some of the meets in Manhattan (Kan.), and we went up to some of the meets in Lincoln (Neb.).”

On any different approach to finals:
“You can tell the atmosphere's a little more intense and more serious, but we're still pretty calm and having a good time.”

Robert Curtis, Sr., Villanova, who posted fastest qualifying time in men's 5,000 in 14:10.24.
On his performance today:
“I liked my performance today as I was able to hold off the competition all the way through the end. I was able to adjust to the humidity and finish first in the preliminaries which give me extra confidence going into the finals.”

On his goals going into the finals:
“I was runner-up last year and so I would love to compete to the best of my abilities and I'm going to try to beat that.”

On his experience competing at Drake:
“The facilities are really nice and are great for track and field. I had always heard the facilities were intimate and that aspect really added to the atmosphere during my race.”

Defedning NCAA champion Ronda Watkins, Jr., UCLA, went 21-8.25 in long jump, automatically qualified for finals on her first jump of the second flight.

On hitting the automatic qualifying mark on her first jump:
“I was just really happy to get a breakthrough this year because the year has been real slow for me because of injury.

On how her hamstring injury is feeling here at the NCAA meet:
“I’m good now and ready to jump far.

On her confidence coming into the meet as the defending champ:
“I think I have more of a vibe now. There’s more pressure on me now to repeat, I guess. So everybody’s going to want to beat me.”

Defending NCA champion April Kabishta, Sr., Arizona St.ate, who was among top qualifiers in women's pole vault at 13-5.25.
“I felt pretty good. Early on, I felt like conserving energy a little bit, and then the last one I finally turned it on. I had enough energy to go through to the finals and do what I need to do to get it done.

On the confidence she has on this runway after she competed on it earlier this year at Drake Relays:
“You know, I felt like at Drake, even though I didn’t win, I was one of the better ones out there because every jump I was able to take – regardless of the conditions. I’m prepared for whatever God throws at us.

On whether she’s can repeat as a national champion:
“I just need to stay relaxed and try not think too much about the competition. I just need to stay focused on what I need to do and my technique. That’s what you need to do to jump high – focus on technique and not the competition, necessarily.”