The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 15, 1999

Ring leader

Arkansas coach leads Razorbacks to 15th title

Arkansas track coach John McDonnell now has championship rings for each of his fingers -- and all the toes on one foot.

Another win in the triple jump and a strong showing in the distance events lifted the Razorbacks and McDonnell to their 15th title in 16 years at the Division I Men's Indoor Track Championships March 5-6 in Indianapolis.

The Razorbacks accumulated 65 points although their only victory came in the triple jump -- an event they have dominated. This time, Melvin Lister went 55 feet, 3/4 inches as an Arkansas competitor won the event for the 12th time in the last 17 years.

McDonnell watched his team's depth in the three individual distance races pay off for 32 of his team's points. Sean Kaley placed third in both the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs; Mike Power was the runner-up in the 3,000; Seneca Lassiter came in third in the mile run; Ryan Travis crossed the finish line sixth in the mile; and Matt Kerr grabbed sixth in the 3,000.

"I couldn't be prouder of our guys," McDonnell said. "We knew it would be close, but we were expecting to win."

The title was Arkansas' third straight since George Mason snapped the Razorbacks' 12-year string of championships in 1996. Stanford was runner-up for the second straight year with 42 1/2 points, and South Carolina placed third with 27.

Brad Hauser sparked Stanford's effort, as he repeated as the champion in the 5,000 and added a fifth-place performance in the 3,000.

Also winning their second consecutive titles were South Carolina's Brad Snyder in the shot put and Southern Methodist's Libor Charfreitag in the 35-pound weight throw.

The only meet record established was when Jacob Davis of Texas cleared 19 feet, 2 1/2 inches in the pole vault, topping the collegiate and meet record of 19 feet, 1 1/2 inches set in 1994 by Lawrence Johnson of Tennessee.

Washington State's Bernard Lagat became the first men's competitor to finish first in both the mile and 3,000 since Joe Falcon of Arkansas completed the feat in 1988.

A pair of freshmen made impressive debuts. Clemson's Ato Modibo won the men's 400-meter dash in 46.11 seconds and anchored the Tigers' victorious 1,600-meter relay team. Tennessee's Leonard Scott took top honors in the 60-meter dash in 6.58 seconds.