KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
DES MOINES, Iowa - Indiana State junior Felisha Johnson closed out the 2012 track & field season for the Sycamores on a positive note, breaking an 21-year-old school record and placing fifth in the women's shot put at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Earlier Friday, junior Brandon Pounds posted two good throws early and finished sixth in the men's hammer throw to earn his first First-Team All-American recognition.
Johnson was in ninth place until her final throw of the competition.
"I did not come all the way out here to finish ninth," Johnson said. "I have been fouling a lot lately so I am really glad that I was able to come up with a big throw on my final attempt."
The junior came through on her final attempt with a school record throw of 56-feet-11¼-inches (17.35 meters), breaking the old mark of 56-feet-10¾-inches (17.34 meters) set by Christy Barrett Sherman in 1991.
"I had a nice look and a nice toss on that last throw," Johnson said. "It felt really good. The school record is great and I will take it but it would be even better to place higher."
This was the second time this year that Johnson has broken the shot put record as she surpassed Barrett's indoor record with a throw of 55-feet-5¾-inches (16.91 meters) at the MVC Indoor Championships.
"I was more nervous about somebody catching me than about setting the record," Johnson said. "I knew it was a good throw but coach didn't tell me until after the event that it was the school record."
The attempt could also have earned Johnson a trip to Eugene, Ore., later this month to compete in the Olympic Trials.
"I will just keep working and wait to see what happens with the Trials," Johnson said.
"Felisha competed hard and went after it," Angela Martin, Indiana State women's track & field coach, said.
Fellow junior Mary Theisen finished 20th overall in the shot put with her best throw coming on her third attempt at 52-feet-1¾-inches (15.89 meters).
"This was a great experience for Mary," Martin said. "She represented ISU well. We have a lot to look forward to with next year's team."
Oklahoma junior Tia Brooks won the NCAA championship with a throw of 60-feet-6-inches with Illinois State junior Brittany Smith second at 58-feet-4¾-inches, and Southern Illinois senior Jeneva McCall third at 57-feet-11½-inches.
Johnson earned her first First Team All-American recognition for outdoor track & field to go along with three All-American honors from the indoor season.
Pounds earned his first All-American recognition with the effort and scored Indiana State's first points in the men's outdoor championship since Aubrey Herring placed second in the 110 hurdles at the 2000 NCAA Championships.
"It was a very competitive day for him," John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach, said. "He really is a novice at big meets like this and we look forward to him coming back next year."
The junior went opened with a throw of 210-feet-4-inches (64.11 meters) and followed that up with a toss of 212-feet-1-inch (64.66 meters). Pounds was third at the end of the first flight rotation and was fifth after the second flight concluded to advance to the final round.
"I just wanted to get in a decent throw and relax," Pounds said of his opening throw Friday. "It really was a confidence booster when I landed that mark which was the distance that coach (Erin Gilreath) and I thought would take to advance to the finals."
Pounds said he had a good series in the preliminaries but was just too excited in the finals.
"It was a real learning experience," Pounds said. "I think I was a little bit more anxious after having to warm up again and throw in the finals. I kind of lost my form and technique, and kept trying to get my les back under me. That is one of the small things that I need to work on."
"Being in the first flight can be a little nerve racking," McNichols said. "But he was able to land a good one on his first try and bettered that on his second attempt."
Virginia Tech junior Alexander Ziegler had a throw of 248-feet-7-inches on his fifth attempt to win the national title while Florida junior Jeremy Postin was second at 227-feet-11-inches and UCLA sophomore Alec Faldermeyer third at 224-feet-3-inches.
McNichols said it is always good to score points.
"We have had some great people competing at the NCAAs every year," McNichols said. "We just have not been fortunate to place in the top eight since Aubrey."
