Danielle Demas Returns To Track Town
6/5/2016 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
FIRST OF THREE RACE PREVIEWS FOR SAM HOUSTON'S
ENTRIES IN THURSDAY'S NCAA TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Seeking to chalk up one more accolade in her outstanding Sam Houston career, Danielle Demas will compete in the 100 meter hurdles Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (Huntsville time) in the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The four-day national championships event is being held at one of America's most famous track and field venues – Hayward Field (known worldwide as Track Town USA) in Eugene, Oregon.
The facility has hosted the NCAA Outdoor Championships 10 times since 1962, the most of any venue in modern history. It is also the only facility to host three consecutive U. S. Olympic Trails and six U.S. Championships.
Demas earned her spot in the field for the 100 meter hurdles with an eighth place time of 13.11 at the NCAA Division I West preliminary competition at the University of Kansas a week ago. The race marks the senior's second trip to the national championships. She placed 10th last year with a 13.05 mark in the 100 hurdles.
This week will mark her third trip to Eugene. Last summer she completed her decorated junior season with a 13.29 in the 100 meter hurdles to take 19th overall at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships. Lining up against the world's best, Demas placed sixth among collegiate competitors, with Kentucky, Florida, Notre Dame, Texas and Oregon representing the top five schools. Other entrants contended on behalf of Asics, Nike and Adidas.
“Danielle started to break through her sophomore year,” Sam Houston head coach David Self said. “She has really steamrolled the past two seasons and is looking to compete her four years as a Bearkat with an outstanding performance.”
The Cypress Creek High School product helped lead the Sam Houston women to the team championship at the 2016 outdoor meet. Demas won the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 13.08 seconds and was the runner-up in the 200 meter dash.
In February at the league indoor championships in Birmingham, Ala., she earned both Southland “Female Athlete-of-the-Year” and “Female Outstanding Runner Events Athlete of the Year” honors. She took gold in both the 60 meter dash and 60 meter hurdles and was the runner-up in the indoor 200 meter dash.
“Danielle had a fantastic indoor season and has never slowed down or looked back,” Self said. “She's a competitor. I think this week will be another great experience for her.”
Owner of four of the five fastest 100 meter hurdle times in Sam Houston women's track history, Demas won three other outdoor hurdles events this spring. She placed fourth at the prestigious Texas Relays.
Demas enters the NCAA National Championships seeded 15th in the 24-runner field. Ebony Morrison of the University of Miami owns the nation's fastest clocking this year with a 12.76 mark.
Also representing Sam Houston at the NCAA Championships will be Elizabeth Lyssy in the javelin and Ashley Jenkins in the hammer throw.
The field for the 2016 NCAA Division I Women's 100 Meter Hurdles Championship
1
|
Morrison, Ebony
|
Miami
|
12.76
|
2
|
Camacho-Quinn, Jasmine
|
Kentucky
|
12.77
|
3
|
Ofili, Cindy
|
Michigan
|
12.86
|
4
|
Perry, Alexis
|
N.C. State
|
12.90
|
5
|
Howell, Jacklyn
|
Kentucky
|
12.90
|
6
|
Chase, Chanice
|
LSU
|
12.92
|
7
|
Seymour, Pedrya
|
Illinois
|
12.95
|
8
|
Johnson, Alaysha
|
Oregon
|
12.97
|
9
|
Setterington, Nicole
|
Florida State
|
12.98
|
10
|
Barber, Kaila
|
Notre Dame
|
12.99
|
11
|
McGhee, Brianna
|
TCU
|
13.01
|
12
|
Brisco, Mikiah
|
LSU
|
13.02
|
13
|
Amusan, Tobi
|
UTEP
|
13.02
|
14
|
Bougard, Erica
|
Miss State
|
13.04
|
15
|
Demas, Danielle
|
Sam Houston
|
13.11
|
16
|
Clerveaux, Vanessa
|
Alabama
|
13.12
|
17
|
Fortenberry, Alexia
|
New Orleans
|
13.18
|
18
|
Stewart, Chastity
|
North Texas
|
13.19
|
19
|
Stumbaugh, Payton
|
Arkansas
|
13.20
|
20
|
Wallace, Sasha
|
Oregon
|
13.20
|
21
|
Thames, Valerie
|
Missouri
|
13.21
|
22
|
Auzenne, Micha
|
San Diego State
|
13.27
|
23
|
Gouchnauer, Alex
|
Arkansas
|
13.28
|
24
|
Miller, Ashley
|
Texas
|
13.29
|
