Tulane University
Conference USA Outdoor Championships
Ruzevic Claims C-USA Javelin Crown
May 14, 2011 | Track & Field
May 14, 2011
HOUSTON - When entering a championship competition a team must realize that the opening day of completion is the day that you must work the hardest. The opening day of the 2011 Conference USA Track and Field Championships was no different for the Tulane track and field program. On a day where anything can happen, the Green Wave posted consistent and quality marks that led to a handful of personal best showing and five student-athletes advancing to the finals in their respective events.
"We did about as much as we could do today, with the key injuries that we are facing, and it is became evident today that this conference improving so much across the board," said Tulane head coach Eric Peterson. "With some of the times that were run today, this conference is turning into a great a nationally competitive (conference). The story of the day is Ana who is the Conference USA champion in the javelin. It is her first title and you have to give a lot of credit to her. She started off the season with a great throw, a school record and national leading mark at the time, and hasn't thrown a lot in practice or competition over the past few months with a back injury that she has been fighting. Winning this meet is a great accomplishment for her and our program. I am proud of the work that our coaching staff and our training room staff does every day to enable all of our kids to prepare for competition each week."
After placing ninth nationally last season, Ana Ruzevic won her third title of the season in the javelin and to this point in the junior's career, there has never been a bigger moment. Ruzevic took the lead in the event from her first throw and posted the eventual winning toss of 49.22 in her third throw of the evening. That throw was nearly four meters better than any of the other competitors until the final throw of the round by Rice's Ari Ince.
Ruzevic earns the school's seventh Conference USA Championship in the javelin and is the first to win the title since Jelena Jurlina claimed two consecutive titles in 2003-04. Her toss of 49.22-meters is the second furthest heave in her career, just short of the 51.37-meter throw which she opened the season with. Ruzevic now owns the school record in the event and owns a Conference USA title.
Rebecca Coady had a successful day on the oval with a personal best in the 800-meter run and a qualifying run in the 1500-meter race. Coady posted a career best time of 2:11.29 in the 800-meter run and finished fifth in the fastest heat of the evening. The senior ran the sixth fastest time in the event, but finished fifth in her heat and missed the finals by just 0.15-seconds. In the 1500-meter run, Coady was just as brilliant with the second fastest qualifying time for the Sunday finals. She grabbed a second place finish in the opening heat and broke the tape in a time of 4:29.75, just one second off of the leader Paula Whiting of Tulsa.
"One thing that we hope for and expect from our student-athletes is to get to the championship phase of the year and perform at the best level they have to this point," said Peterson. "Rebecca did that today with a personal best and near personal best in a pair of qualifying runs. She was disappointed not making the 800-meter final, but when you run a lifetime best and miss the final by (thousandths of a second) and set a lifetime best you can't be too angry. That is the nature of our sport. I am really proud that we are getting strong and consistent performances from our kids and that it exactly what we need from them."
Zandria Debowles will compete for a Conference USA crown tomorrow evening in Houston, as the senior posted her fourth sub-60 second time in the 400-meter hurdles on Saturday. The senior finished second in the qualifying with a 59.86 showing and was the second fastest qualifier for tomorrow's finals. Also in the event, Candice St. Etienne grabbed the final qualifying spot with a time of 62.33 and will have a chance to add to the Tulane point total on championship Sunday.
"We expect runners like Rebecca and Zandria to make finals," said Peterson. "This is the work day of the meet, where you really have to show up and be ready and willing to do everything in your power to make a final. That is what we expect from our kids and tomorrow is the day we want to see that consistency and see their true ability come to the forefront."
Tiffany George qualified for the first championship final of her career with a 11.61-second mark in the 100-meter dash. George is one of three freshman to advance to the finals and will look to secure a spot at the NCAA East Regional with a solid performance in the event on Sunday. Brree Carter closed out her career with a career-best leap in the long jump to place ninth and finish just outside the scoring position at the championships. Carter landed 5.79-meters from the board on her second jump of the afternoon and missed the finals in the event by just one-half meter.
Jon Frano was the lone Green Wave men's performer to advance from a prelim on Saturday, claiming a spot in the 400-meter dash finals in a career-best. Frano ran 48.13 to post the fifth fastest time in the event entering the final. Frano ran the team's fastest time and now ranks sixth on the Tulane all-time charts in the event.
"It is the kind of consistent story line we have been talking about throughout our team," Peterson said. "Jon is a young man that ran a lifetime best today in the prelims and earned the right to compete for a conference championship (Sunday). He ran a great race and we are very excited to watch him perform tomorrow."
Julius Warmsley continued to improve in the discus on Saturday, with a PR toss of 41.16-meters, while Jordon Holtzman ran 1:56.98 to set a personal record in the 800-meter dash. Jordan Vance improved his season-best time in the 3000-mter Steeplechase on Saturday by covering the distance in a time of 10:22.85.
The will conclude the 2011 Conference USA Championships on Sunday, May 15, with all of the live action available at the C-USA Championship page. Live results and live video can be found by clicking here.
--TulaneGreenWave.com--
Players Mentioned
