June 10, 2011
Read John Denton's Knights Insider | Follow us on Twitter | Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com
DES MOINES, Iowa (UCFAthletics.com) - The weather played a part at the NCAA Championships for the second day in a row, but it did nothing to slow UCF freshman Aurieyall Scott in the finals of the 100 meters. After a weather delay pushed back the event by an hour, Scott delivered a record performance to earn All-American First Team honors Friday night at Drake Stadium.
With the track still wet from stormy conditions all day, Scott stepped to the starting line as one of the eight finalists in the 100 meters. Not intimidated by the stellar competition to her left and right, Scott got out of the blocks quickly. The freshman sprinter made a strong move at the 70-meter mark, a push that carried her across the finish line fourth to earn All-American First Team honors and five points for her team.
Scott's final kick earned her an 11.19, breaking her own school record in the event of 11.25 set at the Conference USA Championships in Houston. The new mark is all the more impressive considering that it was done on a wet track.
"I am very proud of Aurieyall (Scott). It is not easy to stay focused and run fast after an hour-long rain delay," head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said. "She ran a personal best and scored five points for the team. Her school and freshman record and first team All-American honors is a great accomplishment and it really shows where this program is heading."
Coming into the outdoor season, the UCF record in the 100 meters was 11.51. Including Friday night's final, Scott has eclipsed that mark seven times this spring.
Candyce McGrone of Oklahoma won the event with a strong push of her own, finishing in 11.08. Scott was the top freshman runner to finish as she beat out Oregon's English Gardner, who came into the race having posted the fastest wind-legal mark in the nation this year.
Scott becomes just the second athlete in UCF history to earn All-American First Team honors, joining Jackie Coward, who did so last year in the 100-meter hurdles. She also becomes the first two-time outdoor All-American in program history after earning second team honors in the 200 meters Thursday night.
Coward will look to duplicate her success from a year ago when she competes in the finals of the 100-meter hurdles tomorrow afternoon. The Knights will also compete in the finals of the 4x100-meter relays. Fans can follow the Black and Gold live on CBS beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
Schedule of Events - UCF (all times Eastern)
Saturday
Finals - 4x100-Meter Relay - 1:03 p.m.
Finals - 100-Meter Hurdles - 2:09 p.m.
UCF Results
NCAA Championships - June 10, 2011
Drake Stadium - Des Moines, Iowa
100 Meters
4. Aurieyall Scott, 11.19 (+1.5) !#^ - All-American First Team