Nelson Earns All-American, Gives BYU First Point

EUGENE -- The BYU men's track and field team boasted its second All-American in as many days as Richard Nelson earned the national honor in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Friday.

"He ran well and as hard as he could," said BYU men's head coach Mark Robison.

Nelson's eighth-place finished gives the senior back-to-back All-America awards, both in the 3,000-meter steeple. Nelson improved on his 2009 time of 8:50.08, finishing in 8:45.63.

The eighth-place finish gives BYU its first point of the championships.

"It's been a hard point to get," Robison said. "Hopefully we can get Leif an All-American and get some more tomorrow."

Junior Oliver Whaley joined Nelson in Friday's competition competing in the hammer throw. Competing in his first national meet, Whaley placed 20th with a throw of 59.33 meters.

Kari Clark, the lone competitor for BYU women's team on Friday, withdrew from the pole vault finals due to injury.

National competition wraps up tomorrow with two Cougars competing. Mindy McClurkin will compete in the final event of her career, participating in the long jump, while Leif Arrhenius will look to finish off the season for the men's team with a strong performance in the shot put.