Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans' Guerrant, Fuller Open NCAA Indoor Championships
3/8/2019 9:18:00 PM | Track and Field
Nick Guerrant is in fourth place after day one of the heptathlon competition.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Michigan State track & field got a strong start to the heptathlon from Nick Guerrant on day one at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama on Friday.
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The redshirt-junior is in fourth place after the first four events, totaling 3,353 points, just a point out of the third position. Arkansas' Gabe Moore is in first place with 3,423 points, Nebraska's Jared Seay is second at 3,380 points and Wisconsin's Trent Nytes rounds out the top three with 3,354 points.
"Nick had an excellent day," MSU director of track & field Walt Drenth said. "He kept his head, there weren't too many highs or too many lows and that's huge. He managed his energy well and was really immersed in the competition. He's going to be right in the thick of it tomorrow."Â
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Guerrant started well, opening the heptathlon and the first event of the championships by clocking 7.00 in the 60-meter dash, the fourth-best time of the event. He followed with three-straight season bests, recording a jump of 7.31 meters (23-11 ¾) in the long jump, a farthest toss of 13.93 meters (45-8 ½) in the shot put and a clear of 2.06 meters (6-9) in the high jump.
"His 60 wasn't what he thought it was going to be, but I think it calmed him down," Drenth said. "Everything after that was outstanding. He competed really well in the high jump. He was warming up in the high jump and it wasn't going very well, but once they started counting the bars it was meaningful. I thought he was great today."
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Guerrant's point total of 3,353 points puts him in a better position through four events than his title-winning day one score of 3,237 points at the Big Ten Championships. Â Â Â Â Â
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The heptathlon concludes Saturday with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1,000-meter run. Competition gets underway at 12:45 p.m. ET/ 11:45 a.m. CT from the Birmingham Crossplex.
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Redshirt-sophomore Annie Fuller finished her prelim in the women's mile with a time of 4:48.71 and won't advance to Saturday's final in the event. Fuller finishes off an excellent indoor season after returning from injury that included two medals at the Big Ten Indoor Championships last month in Ann Arbor.
"This is a great learning experience for Annie, and she's going to be really good," Drenth said. "It's not improbable for her to have two more trips to the indoor nationals, and if we can get her straightened out and to the outdoor nationals we'll look at this as a great place of growth for her."Â
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The NCAA Division I Indoor Championships are streamed live on ESPN3 and the WATCHESPN App. A re-air of the championship will take place starting at 10 p.m. ET Sunday, March 10 on ESPN2 and again Monday, March 11 starting at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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The redshirt-junior is in fourth place after the first four events, totaling 3,353 points, just a point out of the third position. Arkansas' Gabe Moore is in first place with 3,423 points, Nebraska's Jared Seay is second at 3,380 points and Wisconsin's Trent Nytes rounds out the top three with 3,354 points.
"Nick had an excellent day," MSU director of track & field Walt Drenth said. "He kept his head, there weren't too many highs or too many lows and that's huge. He managed his energy well and was really immersed in the competition. He's going to be right in the thick of it tomorrow."Â
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Guerrant started well, opening the heptathlon and the first event of the championships by clocking 7.00 in the 60-meter dash, the fourth-best time of the event. He followed with three-straight season bests, recording a jump of 7.31 meters (23-11 ¾) in the long jump, a farthest toss of 13.93 meters (45-8 ½) in the shot put and a clear of 2.06 meters (6-9) in the high jump.
"His 60 wasn't what he thought it was going to be, but I think it calmed him down," Drenth said. "Everything after that was outstanding. He competed really well in the high jump. He was warming up in the high jump and it wasn't going very well, but once they started counting the bars it was meaningful. I thought he was great today."
Â
Guerrant's point total of 3,353 points puts him in a better position through four events than his title-winning day one score of 3,237 points at the Big Ten Championships. Â Â Â Â Â
Â
The heptathlon concludes Saturday with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1,000-meter run. Competition gets underway at 12:45 p.m. ET/ 11:45 a.m. CT from the Birmingham Crossplex.
Â
Redshirt-sophomore Annie Fuller finished her prelim in the women's mile with a time of 4:48.71 and won't advance to Saturday's final in the event. Fuller finishes off an excellent indoor season after returning from injury that included two medals at the Big Ten Indoor Championships last month in Ann Arbor.
"This is a great learning experience for Annie, and she's going to be really good," Drenth said. "It's not improbable for her to have two more trips to the indoor nationals, and if we can get her straightened out and to the outdoor nationals we'll look at this as a great place of growth for her."Â
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The NCAA Division I Indoor Championships are streamed live on ESPN3 and the WATCHESPN App. A re-air of the championship will take place starting at 10 p.m. ET Sunday, March 10 on ESPN2 and again Monday, March 11 starting at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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