Oregon State
NCAA Championships - Preliminary Round
Ausman, Turney Wrap Up West Prelims For OSU
May 31, 2014 | Women's Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Melissa Ausman was fourth among freshmen in the discus and Michele Turney was the fourth finisher in the triple jump among Pac-12 entries as the duo wrapped up action for Oregon State track and field at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. on Friday afternoon.
The freshman led off the day's action for OSU in the first flight of the women's discus at John McDonnell Field on the Razorbacks' campus. Throwing second, Ausman finished fifth among the 16 in her flight and 30th in the competition overall with a mark of 158' 6”.
Ausman's flight with a big rain storm midway through that delayed the event for 30 minutes and nearly stopped it altogether. She fouled on her first and third attempts, but was able to overcome the elements and successfully unleash her throw on her second try. The freshman's third throw was well over 150' as well, but she stepped out of the ring.
Ausman's 158' 6” was almost 10 feet shy of her school-record toss of 168' at the OSU High Performance Meet on May 2. That throw was nearly 13 feet better than Beth Nygren's 155' 2” set in Corvallis on May 7, 1988 – the previous Oregon State record. It seeded Ausman 42nd in the west, eighth in the nation among freshmen, fifth among U20 collegians and meets the qualifying standard for IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene this summer.
On Friday, Ausman made history as Oregon State's first female thrower at an NCAA meet since 1987, when Connie Peterka was a finalist in the javelin and came in 10th with a mark of 154' 2.75”. On the men's side, John Thomas finished ninth in the hammer at the NCAA Championships in 1988 (205' 10”).
School-record holder Michele Turney was also attempting to make history in the triple jump later in the afternoon. The sophomore, who worked her way into the meet courtesy of her 40' 4.75” at the Pac-12 Championships, finished 40th overall, ninth in her flight, with a mark of 38' 0.25”. Jumping 10th, Turney reached her best on her first attempt. She fouled on her second and went 37' 11.25” on her final try.
Had Turney advanced to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, she would have been Oregon State's first-ever triple jump all-American. The Beavers have never had a triple jump finalist in the DGWS, AIAW or NCAA. The last horizontal jumper at a collegiate final for OSU was Joni Huntley, who won the AIAW long jump crown in 1975 (19' 3.25”).
Oregon State has not had an all-American in the discus since Beth Smith finished sixth at the AIAW National Championships in 1973 (130' 3”).
Both Ausman and Turney have laid a foundation for success at OSU in the field events as the program continues its growth into each and every event area. The majority of next year's recruits are in the sprints, throws and jumps and the Beavers will have their first heptathletes since the re-establishment of the program. Ausman is regarded as one of the bright young American female throwers and Turney has taken great strides since entering OSU as a predominantly 35-foot triple jumper out of Crescent Valley HS in Corvallis.
Players Mentioned
