Junior Hurdler Looks For NCAA Success
5/24/2015 2:22:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
When hurdler Danielle Demas lined up for the 100 meter hurdles finals at the prestigious Texas Relays in Austin last March, the junior from Houston Cypress Creek High School had no idea she was about to participate in one of the fastest races in college track this spring.
“I was extremely nervous because the girl next to me is so fast,” Demas said. “I was in my blocks and didn't really know what to do. I just thought, when the gun goes off, just go.”
And go she did. Demas finished sixth with a Sam Houston school record time of 13.16 seconds. That time was good enough to stand as the 11th fastest mark in world track at that point in the season.
“I didn't know I had run that fast,” Demas said. “I saw all the times on the board and was looking for my name. I saw I ran the school record and was happy about that, but my name was down the board.”
Sam Houston head track and field coach David Self quickly informed the young hurdler of her achievement.
“That mark is absolutely at an elite level,” Self said. “A 13.16 time would have won more than a few medals in previous Olympic Games. Danielle has really come a long way. Any time you have an athlete of a high caliber like that, they are a lot of fun to work with.”
Demas has continued to improve. In the prelims of the 100 meter hurdles at the Southland Conference outdoor championships in Hammond, La., two weeks ago, she broke her own record with a 13.03 clocking. The mark makes her the highest ranked Bearkat student-athlete nationally as the Sam Houston track and field team heads to the NCAA Championships West Preliminary Round in Austin May 28-30.
Eighteen men and women will represent Sam Houston in the meet. To earn a berth in the NCAA Preliminary Round, an athlete must rank among the top 48 competitors in their event. The best 24 relay teams also advance to the NCAA prelims. The top 12 finishers in each event at both the East and West prelims qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 10-13.
“I've really worked hard this year than ever before,” Demas said. “We're all looking forward to the NCAA meet in Austin.”
Demas comes into the meet ranked sixth in the 100 meter hurdles. Ashley Jenkins also owns a top 10 ranking with her hammer throw of 208 feet, 10 inches.
Other Bearkat women headed to Austin, their event, mark and rank include Ruth Amaku (58.52 400m hurdles, 14th), Kara Whitson (13' 8.25” pole vault, 18th), Adrienne Quillin (197' 10.75” hammer, 23rd), Jordan Grady (53.91 400m dash, 37th) and Paula Smith (11.65 100m dash 41st).
Camry Grigsby, Kodii Church, Amaku and Grady earned a spot in the 4x400 relay competition with a 29th ranked clocking of 3:38.73. Elizabeth Ene, Demas, Grady and Smith also qualified in the 4x100 relay with a 33rd ranked time of 45.11 seconds.
Senior Matthew Viverette and freshman Tyler Adams lead the Bearkat men into the NCAA West Prelims. Viverette heads to Austin ranked 14th in the 110 meter hurdles (14.02) and 18th in the 400 hurdles (50.88). Adams stands 14th in the West in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, nine inches.
Justin Jenkins brings marks of 10.24 in the 100 meters and 21.49 in the 200 meter dash to rank 17th and 29th, respectively, in the West in the two events. Other individual event entrants for the Bearkat men include Rodney Jones (46.47 400 meters, 23rd), Trevor Sealy (200' 2” hammer throw, 31st) and Garrett Larson (16' 6.75” pole vault, 33rd).
Dedrick Brook, Chris Jefferson, Jones and Jenkins earned a berth for the Bearkat 4x100 relay team with a 39.95 clocking that stands 39.95 in the NCAA West standings.
Nineteen men and six women have represented Sam Houston in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in past years. Three women and nine men have earned NCAA All-America recognition at the National Championships.
“Competing at the NCAA meet is so exciting,” Demas said. “We all have worked hard to get there. I know that, if I run as fast as I can and as hard as I can and don't make any mistakes, I have a chance to do something special.”
