Fresno State
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Ayala and Jordan Win All-American Honors
6/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
June 12, 2009
Live NCAA Championship Results
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FRESNO, Calif. - The two Bulldogs competing at the NCAA Championships won All-American honors Friday in Fayetteville, Ark.
Sharon Ayala grabbed All-American honors in the hammer throw, while freshman Latrisha Jordan nabbed the accolade in the 400-meter hurdles. The team's last All-American was Mallory Webb throwing the javelin in 2007.
Ayala finished sixth in the hammer throw after a two-hour rain delay that cut through the competition. Ayala's All-American honors in the hammer throw is a first for Fresno State.
"Sharon went out there and competed hard today," said head coach Scott Winsor. "She couldn't find her timing after the rain set in. She did a great job of competing despite struggling to find her timing.
"If you're having an off day and still finishing sixth in the country, you're still doing well. We're really proud of all she's done at Fresno State."
Ayala marked a 200-foot (60.96 meters) throw on her first and best throw of the day. Her sixth place finish earned the Bulldogs three team points.
"She's had a fantastic career at Fresno State," said Winsor. "Sharon has done a great job representing the university. She's been a great Bulldog."
 Latrisha Jordan nabbed All-American accolades in the 400-meter hurdles.  | |
This is Ayala's second All-American honor, having taken sixth in the weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Championship earlier this season.
Ayala concludes her Fresno State career with the school's record in both the hammer throw (218-3/66.52m) and the weight throw record (66-6/20.26m).
Jordan also owns the Fresno State record in her specialty, the 400 hurdles, having trumped her own record with a time of 58.14 Thursday in the NCAA semifinals.
Friday evening, Jordan ran in the final of the quarter mile hurdles, earning eighth and All-American honors as a rookie. Jordan timed a 58.19 to grab a point for the team and the first All-American in the event in Fresno State history.
"Latrisha did a tremendous job this week," said Winsor. "To go in ranked 20th in the nation and finish eighth proves how much of a competitor she is.
"She didn't run a perfect race all week, but still ran a PR and became an All-American. That shows you how much of a competitor she is and how much potential she has. She is the real deal and only a freshman."
The Bulldogs' performance was the final competition for any Fresno State student-athlete in the 2008-09 season.
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