Georgia Track & Field Continues to Bring Home the Glory
The Georgia women’s track and field team is ranked No. 2 nationally and the men are ranked No. 4. If there are teams that deserve a dedicated indoor facility, it is the Georgia track and field teams.
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Georgia true freshman Keturah Orji set an American Junior indoor record in the triple jump on the second day of last weekend’s McCravy Memorial in Lexington, KY,
Orji (OR-gee), a native of Mount Olive, N.J., soared 45 feet, 10.5 inches on her fifth of sixth attempts to wipe out the previous record of 45-7.25. Orji’s effort with the second-best jump in the world this year, established the No. 9 spot on the all-time collegiate performers list and cruised past the eight-year-old school record by more than a foot.
“Today was a `knockout’ day meaning Keturah Orji, or `K.O.’ as I call her, did something big,” said Georgia head coach Wayne Norton to Georgiadogs.com. “Her series of jumps, which included four 45-foot jumps, was one of the most impressive feats we have had. As good as she was, she was not all we produced because Maicel Uibo, Garrett Scantling and Devon Williams were really good in the heptathlon
Orji’s performance comes a day after sophomore Kendell Williams scored 4,609 points in the pentathlon to move to No. 2 in collegiate history (behind her own collegiate record of 4,635 set in 2014), take over the top non-altitude collegiate score, claim both the McCravy Memorial and Nutter Field House records and record her second mark on the all-time U.S. top-10 list.
The Georgia multi-event men not only dominated the meet, they are dominating the nation. Junior Garrett Scantling and junior Maicel Uibo used the nation’s top scores to go 1-2 in the heptathlon. Sophomore Devon Williams claimed the nation’s collegiate fourth best score of the year to finish third.
In addition, junior Ashinia Miller set a school record in the shot put with a national leading effort, senior Brandon Lord shattered the UGA record in the 3000-meter run and senior Charles Grethen clocked the fifth-best time in school history in the 800.
For their performances, Miller, Williams and Orji have all earned Southeastern Conference track and field weekly awards.
Miller is the SEC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for the first time while Williams claimed her third career indoor honor and first this year, being named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week. Orji is the Women’s Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week following her second collegiate meet.
In addition, the Lady Bulldogs shot to No. 2 from No. 4 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national poll while the Georgia men moved from No. 11 to No. 6. The Georgia women tied for third at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships and finished with a program-best No. 3 ranking to end 2014. This marks the Bulldog men’s first top-10 spot after also creeping to No. 11 during 2009 regular season.