Folders |
Georgia Plays The Field to Celebrate First NCAA Division 1 Men's Outdoor Title at Hayward FieldPublished by
Bulldogs receive 44 points from decathletes, field-event performers to deny Florida’s three-peat bid; Houston, USC complete podium By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor EUGENE – Georgia captured its first men’s team title in program history Friday at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships, relying on victories in the hammer throw and shot put Wednesday from Denzel Comenentia, along with second- and third-place finishes from Karl Saluri and Johannes Erm in the decathlon Thursday to accumulate 52 points at Hayward Field. Georgia wrapped up the championship before the 4x400-meter relay after Kendal Williams finished third in the 200, followed by Keenon Laine and Antonios Merlos placing third and fifth in the high jump. Cejhae Greene also earned All-America honors for the Bulldogs with a seventh-place effort in the 100. Florida, the two-time defending champion, took fourth in the 4x400 to finish with 42 points. Grant Holloway, the Gators’ only individual champion, became the first repeat winner in the 110-meter hurdles since former Florida standout Josh Walker in 2004-05. The Gators were seeking the first three-peat in program history and a fifth outdoor title overall, but still made the podium for a 10th consecutive season. Houston placed third with 35 points, equaling the best finish in program history from 1959. USC, which secured the 4x400 relay title for the first time since 1977, took fourth with 34 points for its 27th podium appearance. More news |