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Friday, May 10
San Antonio, Texas
Rice University
vs
AAC Championships
Owls Claim Four More Titles, Finish Second at AACs
5/12/2024 10:54:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
SAN ANTONIO – The Rice women's track and field team wrapped up an incredible weekend in San Antonio at the 2024 AAC Championships, finishing with seven event titles over the three-day meet. The Owls finished second as a team in their debut for conference outdoors.
Taigen Hunter-Galvan highlighted a fantastic showing by Rice on the track, winning both the 1500m and the 800m races, sweeping both the indoor and outdoor AAC 800m and 1500m/Mile this season. Teammate Amelie Attenborough also had strong showings in each race, finishing sixth in the 800m and eighth in the 1500m, respectively.
Over in the triple jump, Ginnie Okafor won the event on her final jump of the afternoon with a distance of 12.93m. Savannah Simms finished right behind to provide a 1-2 punch for Rice, finishing with a jump of 12.89m.
The Taylor sisters wrapped up the field events with a bang, with Josie Taylor's clearance of 1.84m winning the event while Alice Taylor finished second with a clearance of 1.81m. On day one of the meet, Alice broke the AAC and Rice records for high jump with a clearance of 1.91m during the heptathlon.
Morgan Fey continued her strong showing in the throws, placing fourth in the discus, in addition to her seventh-place finish in the shot put yesterday.
Day One Reaction - Head Coach Jim Bevan
"We won seven of the 21 events, more than any other program. That's a testament to the quality of our team. I was exceedingly proud of our efforts, we continued to perform better than the paper showed. I am extremely proud of how we competed and where we finished as a team. Highlighting today was Savannah with two personal bests in triple jump and 400 hurdles, which was really impressive. Ginnie, just like indoors, won on her last jump, so her will to come through again on that jump was incredible to see. Morgan Fey had an outstanding performance again today, finishing fourth in the discus. Josie and Alice wrapped up the field events with a great showing, going 1-2 in the high jump and competed exceedingly well. Alice was coming back from the heptathlon, and Josie had the clearance at 1.84m to win the event. On the track, Kennedy Gamble continued to impress and is one of the best sprinters, finishing third in the 100m. The 4x100 was also able to grab some points, finishing seventh. Amelie Attenborough pulled a double, finishing higher than seeded in the prelims and finals of the 800m and 1500m. What can you say about Taigen? She destroyed the field in the 1500m and came back in the 800m with other athletes who were fresh, and she didn't waiver. Of course, this is the last go around for Tara, Taigen, Ginnie and Kennedy, and they showed great senior leadership and they will be missed. You look at how a meet is supposed to go on paper, we were supposed to be in a battle for second, but we did better than the sheet predicted, so I am really happy with how the meet went."
RESULTS (Top Finishers)
100m
3. Kennedy Gamble – 11.40s
400m Hurdles
4. Savannah Simms – 59.14s
800m
1. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 2:05.95
6. Amelie Attenborough – 2:11.20
1500m
1. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 4:24.51
6. Amelie Attenborough – 4:30.60
Discus
4. Morgan Fey – 47.79m (156-09)
High Jump
1. Josie Taylor – 1.84m (6-00.50)
2. Alice Taylor – 1.80m (5-10.75)
Triple Jump
1. Ginnie Okafor – 12.93m (42-05.25)
2, Savannah Simms – 12.89m (42-03.50)
SATURDAY RESULTS
100m Prelims
4. Kennedy Gamble – 11.69s (advances)
800m Prelims
3. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 2:11.13 (advances)
6. Amelie Attenborough – 2:11.90 (advances)
3000m Steeplechase
5. Katlyn Schmeltzer
Long Jump
5. Eliza Kraule – 6.02m (19-09.00)
Shot Put
7. Morgan Fey – 13.95m (45-09.25)
Heptathlon
1. Eliza Kraule – 5774 points – school record – meet record
6. Alice Taylor – 5111 points
FRIDAY RESULTS
1500m Prelims
1. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 4:31.22 (advances)
8. Amelie Attenborough – 4:35.29 (advances)
400m Hurdles Prelims
6. Savannah Simms – 1:00.39s (advances)
Hammer Throw
1. Tara Simpson-Sullivan – 65.76m (215-09)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 53.40m (175-02)
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Charlotte – 142
2. Rice – 122
3. South Florida – 76
4. Wichita State – 69
5. East Carolina – 67
5. SMU – 67
7. Memphis – 66
8. Tulsa – 58
9. North Texas – 48
10. UTSA – 39.5
11. Tulane – 26
12. Florida Atlantic – 15
13. Temple – 13
14. UAB – 9.5
UP NEXT
The Owls will head to Fayetteville, Ark., next week for the NCAA West Prelims. The field will be announced on Thursday.
Taigen Hunter-Galvan highlighted a fantastic showing by Rice on the track, winning both the 1500m and the 800m races, sweeping both the indoor and outdoor AAC 800m and 1500m/Mile this season. Teammate Amelie Attenborough also had strong showings in each race, finishing sixth in the 800m and eighth in the 1500m, respectively.
Over in the triple jump, Ginnie Okafor won the event on her final jump of the afternoon with a distance of 12.93m. Savannah Simms finished right behind to provide a 1-2 punch for Rice, finishing with a jump of 12.89m.
The Taylor sisters wrapped up the field events with a bang, with Josie Taylor's clearance of 1.84m winning the event while Alice Taylor finished second with a clearance of 1.81m. On day one of the meet, Alice broke the AAC and Rice records for high jump with a clearance of 1.91m during the heptathlon.
Morgan Fey continued her strong showing in the throws, placing fourth in the discus, in addition to her seventh-place finish in the shot put yesterday.
"We won seven of the 21 events, more than any other program. That's a testament to the quality of our team. I was exceedingly proud of our efforts, we continued to perform better than the paper showed. I am extremely proud of how we competed and where we finished as a team. Highlighting today was Savannah with two personal bests in triple jump and 400 hurdles, which was really impressive. Ginnie, just like indoors, won on her last jump, so her will to come through again on that jump was incredible to see. Morgan Fey had an outstanding performance again today, finishing fourth in the discus. Josie and Alice wrapped up the field events with a great showing, going 1-2 in the high jump and competed exceedingly well. Alice was coming back from the heptathlon, and Josie had the clearance at 1.84m to win the event. On the track, Kennedy Gamble continued to impress and is one of the best sprinters, finishing third in the 100m. The 4x100 was also able to grab some points, finishing seventh. Amelie Attenborough pulled a double, finishing higher than seeded in the prelims and finals of the 800m and 1500m. What can you say about Taigen? She destroyed the field in the 1500m and came back in the 800m with other athletes who were fresh, and she didn't waiver. Of course, this is the last go around for Tara, Taigen, Ginnie and Kennedy, and they showed great senior leadership and they will be missed. You look at how a meet is supposed to go on paper, we were supposed to be in a battle for second, but we did better than the sheet predicted, so I am really happy with how the meet went."
100m
3. Kennedy Gamble – 11.40s
400m Hurdles
4. Savannah Simms – 59.14s
800m
1. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 2:05.95
6. Amelie Attenborough – 2:11.20
1500m
1. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 4:24.51
6. Amelie Attenborough – 4:30.60
Discus
4. Morgan Fey – 47.79m (156-09)
High Jump
1. Josie Taylor – 1.84m (6-00.50)
2. Alice Taylor – 1.80m (5-10.75)
Triple Jump
1. Ginnie Okafor – 12.93m (42-05.25)
2, Savannah Simms – 12.89m (42-03.50)
SATURDAY RESULTS
100m Prelims
4. Kennedy Gamble – 11.69s (advances)
800m Prelims
3. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 2:11.13 (advances)
6. Amelie Attenborough – 2:11.90 (advances)
3000m Steeplechase
5. Katlyn Schmeltzer
Long Jump
5. Eliza Kraule – 6.02m (19-09.00)
Shot Put
7. Morgan Fey – 13.95m (45-09.25)
Heptathlon
1. Eliza Kraule – 5774 points – school record – meet record
6. Alice Taylor – 5111 points
FRIDAY RESULTS
1500m Prelims
1. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 4:31.22 (advances)
8. Amelie Attenborough – 4:35.29 (advances)
400m Hurdles Prelims
6. Savannah Simms – 1:00.39s (advances)
Hammer Throw
1. Tara Simpson-Sullivan – 65.76m (215-09)
Javelin
1. Mckyla Van der Westhuizen – 53.40m (175-02)
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Charlotte – 142
2. Rice – 122
3. South Florida – 76
4. Wichita State – 69
5. East Carolina – 67
5. SMU – 67
7. Memphis – 66
8. Tulsa – 58
9. North Texas – 48
10. UTSA – 39.5
11. Tulane – 26
12. Florida Atlantic – 15
13. Temple – 13
14. UAB – 9.5
The Owls will head to Fayetteville, Ark., next week for the NCAA West Prelims. The field will be announced on Thursday.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
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