June 9, 2006
Sacramento, Calif. -
Cal State Fullerton sophomore Matt Turner (Chaffey HS / Upland) earned All-American honors Thursday night at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento when he placed seventh among U.S. citizens and tenth overall in the long jump. The top eight Americans earn the honor. His best jump was 23 feet, 10 1/4 inches or about one foot shy of his Wednesday qualifying jump.
Turner becomes the Titans' fourth Div. I male All-American, joining steeplechaser Mike Tansley (1994, high jumper Brandon Campbell (2002) and pole vaulter Giovanni Lanaro (2003 & 2004).
Long Beach State's Chris Richardson posted the highest finish of the meet for a Big West athlete thus far, finishing third in the decathlon. Paced by the second-longest javelin mark in school-history, the 2006 Big West Male Field Athlete of the Year posted 7,573 points, moving him up one spot from his day-one fourth-place finish. Richardson became the 49ers' first decathlete to earn All-America honors.
Also earning All-America honors was UC Santa Barbara's Stephanie Rothstein. The 2006 Big West defending champion in the 10,000 meters and Big West Female Track Athlete of the Year claimed eighth place with a time of 34:07.26, earning her national accolades.
Cal Poly's Deirdre Byrne finished two spots out of the qualifying top 12 in the women's 1,500 meters on Thursday, ending the senior's bid for a national championship. With a time of 4:21.65, Byrne finished in seventh place in her heat and 14th in the overall standings.
Competing in her first NCAA Championship, 2006 Big West Female Freshman of the Year Jere' Summers (Cal State Northridge) recorded a mark of 48-2 to finish 25th in the shot put.
Day three of the NCAA Track & Field Championships will showcase UC Irvine's Mike Beerer in the men's hammer finals, while Long Beach State's John Temidara and Ronald Carter compete in the qualifying round of the triple jump. UCSB's Megan Lewis will be the lone Big West representative in the running events when she competes in the 5,000 meters Friday night. Cal State Northridge's LaShanna Verdon will begin the first day of the two-day heptathlon event.