Elizabeth A. Jackson
THE BYU men’s and women’s track and field teams ended the four-day 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championship meet in Eugene, Ore. with 10 All-America citations.
Elizabeth A. Jackson, ’01, the favorite to win the first women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase competition in NCAA history, lived up to the billing by winning an individual national championship and setting an American record, 9:49.73. Teammates Courtney Meldrum, ’01, and Nannette Evans, ’03, finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Jackson said, “If I was going to win, I knew I would have to go out and work for it. It meant a lot to have my teammates out there with me and to have them finish so well.”
In team scoring the BYU women finished 11th. Women’s coach Craig Poole said, “Our finishing place may not be indicative of how good we really are, but we are proud to be among the top teams in the country. Those who went out and competed gave it their full effort. Overall we’re pretty pleased and are looking to build on this next year.” In the men’s competition, BYU tied for 19th with South Carolina.
BYU‘s 2001 Outdoor Track & Field All-Americans are Elizabeth Jackson (3,000-meter steeplechase; 5,000 meters), Courtney Meldrum (3,000-meter steeplechase), Nan Evans (3,000-meter steeplechase), Holly G. Haguewood, ’02 (800 meters), Lindsey A. Thomsen, ’03 (10,000 meters), Jeffery W. Hansen, ’02 (pole vault), Jim P. Roberts, ’01 (shot put), Kenneth E. Andam, ’00 (100 meters), and Mao Tjiroze, ’02 (800 meters).