Allen Prepares For Only NCAA Championships Shot
The senior makes up for the disappointment of her near miss on the 2008 nationals field with a legitimate shot to come home as an All-American
FOREST GROVE - By all accounts, Risa Allen (Sr., Portland, Ore.) should have been at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships last year.
The then-junior transfer had won her second straight Northwest Conference championship in the triple jump, but found herself on the bubble of the provisional qualifying field for the event with a lifetime best and school record of 37 feet, 10.5 inches. As it turned out, she was the "last woman out" of the event, missing the 18-woman field by a quarter inch.
This year, Allen has more than made up for that disappointment. Another school record, nearly a foot longer than last year's effort, has planted her firmly in the field of 19 entrants in the 2009 NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, which begin today in Marietta, Ohio. The triple jump takes place on the meet's final day, Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (EDT).
"Risa has been a great addition to our program at Pacific and has work tirelessly to improve as a triple jumper," Head Coach Tim Boyce said of Allen, who transferred to Pacific from Puget Sound for the 2008 season. "The hard work has been rewarded and I know she is very excited to compete in Ohio."
Allen solidified her spot at the Oregon Twilight on May 9 after spending much of the season on the bubble once again thanks to a hamstring injury. Amidst the lights and energy of Hayward Field, Allen propelled herself to a leap of 38 feet, 9 inches. The mark was not only a school record and a personal best, but ranked Allen sixth all-time in the event in Northwest Conference history.
The mark also ranked Allen 12th in the nation, assuring her a place in her first NCAA Championships.
Allen will need to improve her best even more, though, to have a chance to finish in the top eight and bring home Pacific's first track All-American trophy since 2007. Thankfully, the margin isn't much. The No. 8 mark in the nation is 39 feet, 0.25 inches, currently owned by Kristen Bates of Messiah. Nakeisha Jones of Tufts leads the field with a mark of 40 feet, 10.25 inches.
Now that Allen has worked through her injury, Boyce is confident that she has the ability to jump even farther. "Her event coach, Brandon Holliday, has done a great job with her and feels that she is capable of improving her personal best and school record this Saturday."
Allen will attempt to become Pacific's first NCAA Division III track and field All-American since 2007 and the Boxers' first ever in a jumping event. Brooke Barker was the team's last track All-American after she placed in the javelin at the 2007 NCAA Championships.
NOTES: Allen will be the first jumper in the first flight on Saturday morning. The top-nine marks will advance to the finals...This year's championships are being held at Don Drumm Stadium on the campus of Marietta College...Allen is the only athlete west of Texas and two from west of the Mississippi entered in the triple jump...The NCAA Track and Field Championships can be followed online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/track/09championships/.
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on May 21, 2009 at 9:26 AM
