FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY, 24, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Alcide win pentathlon title to begin SEC meet

 

            LEXINGTON, Ky. – Makeba Alcide opened the 2012 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships with a victory in the pentathlon Friday at the Nutter Field House in Lexington, Ky. Alcide scored a personal-best 4,126 points to secure the first points of the weekend for the Razorbacks. At the end of day one and with one event scored, the No. 4 University of Arkansas women’s track team has 10 points and is tied with Mississippi State for the lead in the team standings.

            “I wanted to give myself a birthday present,” Alcide said, celebrating her 22^nd birthday Friday. “I was getting PRs in almost every event but I was behind so I had to dig a little bit in the 800 meters. I went out a little too fast so the time I wanted to hit didn’t’ happen but at the same time, I just ran and had to give a good effort at the end.”

With the title up for grabs, Alcide ran to a time of 2:20.60, good for third place in the event. She finished more than seven seconds ahead of Eppinger and finished close enough to Erica Bougard of Mississippi State to clinch the pentathlon title. Her winning margin was 17 points over the Bulldog freshman.

            With her victory, Alcide becomes the fourth SEC pentathlon champion in school history. She joins the list that already included DeeDee Brown (2002), Beyonka McDowell (2005) and Etienne Chaplin (2008). Arkansas has now won 48 SEC event titles since joining the league in 1991-92. Alcide now holds both multi-event SEC titles as the league’s defending heptathlon champion outdoors.

            Friday’s performance represented the first 4,000-point score for Alcide, whose previous best of 3,997 points came earlier this year at the Razorback Invitational. Based on scores entering the weekend, Alcide’s point total of 4,126 points is currently No. 4 in the NCAA. In addition to the personal best, Alcide moves into second place on Arkansas’ all-time list and sets a national record for her native St. Lucia. The Razorback junior missed Brown’s school record by 15 points and the NCAA automatic-qualifying mark by 24 points.

            In the first event of the day, Alcide finished eighth in the 60-meter hurdles with personal-best time of 8.72, good for 969 points toward her overall total. She followed that effort with a first-place result in the high jump and a 1.76m/5-9.25 clearance. In the next event, Alcide finished second in the shot put with a day’s best throw of 11.82m/38-9.5.

            Already in second place after three events in the overall standings, Alcide posted a personal best in the long jump. Her mark of 5.72m/18-9.25 was good for sixth place in the event. Heading into the final event of the day, the 800 meters, Alcide trailed Kaylon Eppinger of Alabama by 56 points and needed to make up about five seconds to win the conference title.

            The SEC Indoor Championships will air as part of a 90-minute show on ESPNU on Sunday, March 11 at 4 p.m. (CT). The meet will also be streamed live via ESPN3.com on Saturday from 1:05-6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 12:25-4 p.m. Kentucky will stream live portions of the meet not covered by ESPN3. 

With one event down on the women’s side, competition continues Saturday at 11 a.m. Scoring opportunities on day two include finals in the 3,000 meters, pole vault and long jump. Preliminary heats in the running events also begin Saturday. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

SEC Championships – Friday Results

 

Pentathlon (final)

1. Makeba Alcide – 4,126 points (PR)

            8. 60m hurdles – 8.72 (PR) – 809 points

            1. High jump – 1.76m/5-9.25 – 928 points

            2. Shot put – 11.82m/38-9.5 – 649 points

            6. Long jump – 5.72m/18-9.25 (PR) – 765 points

            3. 800m – 2:20.60 (PR) – 815 points

 

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