EUGENE, Ore. – Iowa State shot putter Christina Hillman put on a performance to remember at the final day of the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held at Oregon’s Hayward Field. Hillman defended her NCAA indoor title, notching a career outdoor best and improving her Iowa State record to take down the nation’s top talent.
Christina Hillman posted the top mark in Flight 1 of the women’s shot put, hurling a distance of 57 feet 2.25 inches on her first throw. The mark was good for third overall as the competition entered the finals. Hillman’s first throw in the finals flew 56’11.50”, which moved her into second place overall, passing Missouri’s Kearsten Peoples on the tiebreak.
Hillman needed one of the best throws of her career on her final attempt to defend her indoor title. Needing to add two inches to her mark to tie the leader, Hillman reared back and unleashed a career outdoor-best and program record throw of 58’2” to take the lead and the national title. The throw is her best in outdoor competition by six inches, and improves her previous record of 57’8”.
With the victory, Hillman ends 2014 with two NCAA titles in the shot put, as well as two Big 12 crowns. The Dover, Delaware, native also joins Cyclone greats Lisa Koll (Uhl) and Betsy Saina as the only Cyclones in program history to win a national title both indoors and outdoors. Only Hillman and Koll were able to do so in the same year.
As a junior indoors and just a sophomore outdoors, Hillman will have several more opportunities to add to her already historic resume.
In the women’s high jump competition, redshirt-junior Kelly McCoy notched an 18th-place finish, clearing a height of 5 feet, 7.75 inches (1.72m). McCoy cleared the opening height on her second attempt before missing the bar at 5’9.75”, a height that would have equaled her career best.
McCoy ends her 2014 season having improved her personal record five times, culminating in a career performance at the NCAA West Prelims which earned her a berth at the national championships. The Cary, Illinois, native ranks No. 4 in program history at 5’9.75” and is the fourth high jumper in program history to compete at the national championships.
Katy Moen returned to the track in the women’s 5,000-meter run, just two days after her 12th-place finish in the 10,000m. Moen finished 23rd overall in today’s race, crossing the line in 16:55.02.
Iowa State #NCAATF All-Americans
First Team
Christina Hillman (SP): 1st
Ejiro Okoro (800m): 3rd
Ese Okoro (400H): 8th
Second Team
Katy Moen (10,000m): 12th
Results
5,000m: 1) Marielle Hall, Texas, 15:35.11; 23) Katy Moen, Iowa State, 16:55.02
High Jump: 1) Leontia Kallenou, Georgia, 6’2.25”; 18) Kelly McCoy, Iowa State, 5’7.75”
Shot Put: 1) Christina Hillman, Iowa State, 58’2”
