Men Finish Tied for Ninth

SACRAMENTO -- Senior Josh McAdams capped his collegiate career on Saturday, winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2006 NCAA National Track & Field Championships in Sacramento. McAdams, along with an All-America performance by freshman hurdler Chris Carter, helped the BYU men finished tied for ninth place at the national meet.

The Cougars tied with USC and North Carolina for ninth place in the overall team competition. The Cougars finished second to the Trojans two weeks ago at the NCAA West Regional Championships in Provo. Florida State won its first-ever national team championship, outdistancing powerhouse LSU, 67-51.

Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase

McAdams earned the most sought-after title available--that of National Champion. In a personal-best time of 8:34.10, McAdams crossed the line more than a second ahead of the competition. He is the first distance National Champion from BYU since his coach, Ed Eyestone, won the 5,000-meter title in 1985.

"That was unbelievable!" coach Mark Robison said. "What a phenomenal way to finish your collegiate career--from walk-on to National Champion. We're very pleased for Josh."

The race was tight from beginning to end, with McAdams hanging out near the middle for most of the race. He took the lead nearly a lap before the finish and held it until crossing the finish line. The success tops off his West Region and Mountain West Conference Championship wins.

The outcome was far different from his disappointing finish at last year's championships. McAdams was on his way to a top finish when he fell on a final barrier and finished ninth in the event. This is his second All-America honor in the event.

Men's 400-meter Hurdles

Carter, a true freshman from Ogden, Utah, finished third in the 400-meter hurdles with a lifetime best of 49.19 to earn his All-America nod. The time is the second-best in BYU history behind Ralph Mann's world-record time of 48.74 set in 1970. Carter's previous best of 49.67 was set during his first-place finish at the Mountain West Conference Championships.

Jackson State's Michael Tinsley won the event with a time of 48.25.

Men's 1,500 Meters

Freshman standout Kyle Perry didn't quite have that flair he's known for in the 1,500-meter competition at the Championships. The Sandy, Utah, native finished 12th with a time of 3:53.16 in the event. South Alabama's Vincent Rono won the event with a time of 3:44.07.

Perry took second at the West Region Championships two weeks ago and has a season-best time of 3:42.25, which he ran during his MWC win in the event. That time is the sixth-best in Cougar history.

PROVO -- Nineteen Cougar athletes will join the best track and field competitors in the nation in Sacramento, Calif., at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the season's four most intense days of competition beginning Wednesday.

High Hopes

With their second-place success at the NCAA West Region Championships two weeks ago, the Cougar men have high hopes for continued top performances at nationals. The Cougars finished fourth at these championships in 2005, led by national champion Robbie Pratt. Pratt, one of 14 BYU men competing at the Championships, will look for a repeat title in the pole vault competition.

Another senior, Josh McAdams, received All-America status at the 2005 championships with a ninth-place finish and returns this year determined to improve. Niklas Arrhenius finished second in the discus at Regionals, and David Pendergrass had a second-place finish in the high jump at the meet. Arrhenius will look for his third All-American nod in the discus, Pendergrass for his first.

A record amount of freshmen will join the men's team in national competition. Chris Carter, Trevor Heiner, Whitney Neves, Kyle Perry and Chris Reno will all be apart of the championships.

Happy Anniversary

This year's competition marks the 25th year that women have competed in the NCAA Championships. The women are entering the competition with the ability to make this anniversary a memorable one for BYU track and field. Five women will compete at the Championships.

Rena Chesser took third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at these Championships one year ago and is looking to improve on that performance. She will be joined in the struggle by her teammate, newly crowned regional champion Amy Fowler, the best freshman steeplechaser in the nation.

Distance runners Michelle Lindsay and Chelsea McKell will also be competing, Lindsay in the 800 meters and McKell in the 10,000 meters. Mandy Lonsway will compete in the pole vault competition as the women's lone field participant.

Live Coverage

The final day of the 2006 Division I Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Sacramento, Calif. (Saturday, June 10) will be televised by CBS from 12:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. CSTV will broadcast two hours of competition (8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern) on Friday, June 9. Never before has the next-to-last day of the NCAA Championships been televised live.

This is the first time since 1982 that the NCAA Track and Field Championships have been televised live on network television. The 4 1/2 hours of live coverage mark the most live coverage in the 86-year history of the NCAA Division I Track and Field. This marks the second time that the women's portion of the meet will be televised live.

Results

A recap will be available following each day of competition on www.byucougars.com. Full results will be posted on the NCAA official web site www.ncaasports.com