Thursday, June 7
Eugene, Ore.
7:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
at
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Cashin, Gardner Cap Season with All-America Performances
June 07, 2018 10:13 PM | Track & Field
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Redshirt senior Amy Cashin and redshirt junior Madelin Gardner of the West Virginia University track and field team earned All-America accolades at the 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday night.
Results
Gardner finished eighth in the women's pole vault final at historic Hayward Field, earning a jump of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches) to claim All-America First Team honors, while Cashin broke her own school record in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinal with a time of 9:58.75. Cashin finished seventh in her heat and 13th overall to earn All-America Second Team distinction.
"Great athletes will always want more of themselves, but Maddie and Amy will leave Eugene knowing that they left everything their bodies and minds had to offer on the track today," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "Amy goes home with another All-America honor and a school record, while Maddie leaves with a huge podium finish, which garners All-America First Team honors, as well as the satisfaction that she went one step higher than indoors. Competing since August in Amy's case, and since December for Maddie, we are sitting in Eugene knowing that they took full advantage of every opportunity given to them."
With the performance, Gardner becomes the first Mountaineer to earn All-America First Team outdoor honors since Stormy Nesbit (women's triple jump) in 2014. The national honor is the second of Gardner's collegiate career and the first outdoors. The Williamstown, West Virginia, native finished ninth in the pole vault at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships last March to earn a place on the Second Team.
Gardner cleared marks of 4.00, 4.15 and 4.30 meters in the competition. Her eighth-place finish is the Mountaineers' best in the women's pole vault at the NCAA Championships since Kristin Quackenbush placed fourth in the event in 1998.
Cashin's record-breaking performance in the steeplechase took down her previous WVU-best time of 9.59.40 in the event, from the Penn Relays on April 26. The Werribee, Victoria, Australia, native finished 13th overall on Thursday, earning her third career All-America accolade. At the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Cashin finished 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinals (10:11.86) to earn All-America Third Team status. She also registered a spot on the All-America Second Team with a ninth-place finish in the women's mile at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships.
The top-five finishes from each of the steeplechase's two semifinal heats, plus the next two best times, qualified for Saturday's event final.
"Maddie will return for her senior year knowing she is one of the best young vaulters in the world, while Amy will graduate with three All-America finishes, multiple All-Big 12 accolades, school records on the track and countless academic awards," Cleary said. "Words alone cannot describe Amy's leadership in helping guide not only our track and cross country programs, but more so the overall student-athlete experience at WVU."
Cashin made her third career national-meet appearance on Thursday, including the second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Gardner made her NCAA Outdoor Championships meet debut.
The Mountaineer duo concluded West Virginia's 2017-18 track and field season following Thursday's events. The 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships continue through Saturday.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Results
Gardner finished eighth in the women's pole vault final at historic Hayward Field, earning a jump of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches) to claim All-America First Team honors, while Cashin broke her own school record in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinal with a time of 9:58.75. Cashin finished seventh in her heat and 13th overall to earn All-America Second Team distinction.
"Great athletes will always want more of themselves, but Maddie and Amy will leave Eugene knowing that they left everything their bodies and minds had to offer on the track today," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "Amy goes home with another All-America honor and a school record, while Maddie leaves with a huge podium finish, which garners All-America First Team honors, as well as the satisfaction that she went one step higher than indoors. Competing since August in Amy's case, and since December for Maddie, we are sitting in Eugene knowing that they took full advantage of every opportunity given to them."
With the performance, Gardner becomes the first Mountaineer to earn All-America First Team outdoor honors since Stormy Nesbit (women's triple jump) in 2014. The national honor is the second of Gardner's collegiate career and the first outdoors. The Williamstown, West Virginia, native finished ninth in the pole vault at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships last March to earn a place on the Second Team.
Gardner cleared marks of 4.00, 4.15 and 4.30 meters in the competition. Her eighth-place finish is the Mountaineers' best in the women's pole vault at the NCAA Championships since Kristin Quackenbush placed fourth in the event in 1998.
Cashin's record-breaking performance in the steeplechase took down her previous WVU-best time of 9.59.40 in the event, from the Penn Relays on April 26. The Werribee, Victoria, Australia, native finished 13th overall on Thursday, earning her third career All-America accolade. At the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Cashin finished 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinals (10:11.86) to earn All-America Third Team status. She also registered a spot on the All-America Second Team with a ninth-place finish in the women's mile at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships.
The top-five finishes from each of the steeplechase's two semifinal heats, plus the next two best times, qualified for Saturday's event final.
"Maddie will return for her senior year knowing she is one of the best young vaulters in the world, while Amy will graduate with three All-America finishes, multiple All-Big 12 accolades, school records on the track and countless academic awards," Cleary said. "Words alone cannot describe Amy's leadership in helping guide not only our track and cross country programs, but more so the overall student-athlete experience at WVU."
Cashin made her third career national-meet appearance on Thursday, including the second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Gardner made her NCAA Outdoor Championships meet debut.
The Mountaineer duo concluded West Virginia's 2017-18 track and field season following Thursday's events. The 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships continue through Saturday.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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