Alexander fifth in 800 at NCAAs; Duncan 15th in shot put
March 14, 2009

Izzy Alexander '09 broke her own Bates record for the indoor 800 en route to her fourth All-America award. (Photo by Tom Leonard '78)
Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan '10 finished sixth in the weight throw at NCAAs, earning her second career All-America honor. (Photo by Tom Leonard '78)
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Bates College senior Izzy Alexander placed fifth in the 800-meter run on Saturday at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Alexander (Harvard, Mass.) covered the distance in 2:13.84, ahead of three other competitors from NESCAC schools in the finals field of eight runners. Her time was 0.10 seconds off of what Alexander ran yesterday in the preliminary heats, which had broken her own Bates record in the event by 0.13 seconds.

The result makes it four career All-America honors for Alexander, who finished sixth in the 800 at last year's indoor nationals.

"Izzy is really consistent and tough, which is a good combination at NCAAs," said Bates head coach Jay Hartshorn.

Meanwhile Bates junior Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan (Topsham, Maine) competed in the women's shot put on Saturday, a day after finishing sixth in the women's weight throw for her second career All-American honor. Duncan didn't fare as well in the shot, submitting a top throw of 40-05.00, putting her in 15th place in the NCAA field.

Alexander and Duncan combined to score 7 points at the meet, putting Bates in 32nd place out of 68 scoring teams.

"It was obviously a good meet for us. We had two athletes and they were both All-American and both improved on finishes from 2008 when they were also All-American," said Hartshorn.

Friday Recap

Duncan finished sixth in the weight throw for her second career All-America honors, while Alexander qualified for the finals in the 800-meter run on Friday at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Duncan recorded a top throw of 53-04.25 in the 20-pound weight throw, the same event she finished eighth in at last year's indoor nationals. Her All-America award becomes the 40th earned by a Bates athlete coached by Bates throwing coach Joe Woodhead.

Alexander, meanwhile, virtually assured herself a fourth career All-America award by qualifying for the finals in the 800. Her preliminary heat time of 2:13.74 was the fourth best in the 11-athlete field, and it slices 0.13 seconds off of her own Bates record in the event. Alexander will become a four-time All-American merely by finishing the race in tomorrow's final, which will include eight runners.

MEET RESULTS