USU’s Hawkins earns second-team All-America honors at NCAA Finals

2012 Utah State track & field

Utah State’s Chari Hawkins earned second-team All-America honors in the heptathlon after placing 11th in the event with a school-record 5,598 points at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Finals here Friday at Hayward Field.

Hawkins entered the NCAA Finals ranked 20th in the heptathlon after finishing fifth at the 2013 Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships with 4,990 points. Hawkins set the previous school record in the event during the 2013 outdoor season with 5,441 points at the California Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays Combined Events.

Hawkins, a sophomore from Rexburg, Idaho (Madison HS), began the final day of competition in the heptathlon by placing 14th in the long jump with a distance of 5.84m (19-02). She then set a personal-best in the javelin with a toss of 41.03m (134-07) to finish eighth, and then ran a personal-best time of 2:25.70 in the 800m to finish 18th.

During the first day of competition in the heptathlon, Hawkins placed ninth in the 100m hurdles with a personal-best time of 13.74. She then tied for third in her flight in the high jump with a mark of 1.75m (5-08.75), placed 21st in the shot put with a toss of 10.30m (33-09.50) and placed 17th in the 200m with a time of 25.05.

Hawkins joins senior USU sprinter Will Henry as All-Americans during the 2013 season as Henry also earned second-team honors after placing 16th in 100m with a school-record time of 10.25. Hawkins is USU’s first-ever All-American in the heptathlon and first female track All-American since since 2011 when Sonia Grabowska earned honorable mention All-America honors in the indoor pole vault. Overall, Hawkins is Utah State’s 35th track and cross country athlete to earn All-America honors for the 70th time.

Utah State’s Chari Hawkins concluded competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Finals by tying for 21st in the high jump with a mark of 1.72m (5-07.75) here Saturday at Hayward Field.

Hawkins entered the NCAA Finals seeded tied for 13th in the high jump after tying for third in the event at the first round of the NCAA Championships with a mark of 1.79m (5-10.50).

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