University of Georgia Athletics
Madebach's Title Keeps Georgia In Lead At SECs
May 13, 2007 | Track & Field
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --- Junior Sarah Madebach won her first league title in the 3000-meter steeplechase to sustain Georgia’s lead after the third day of the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships on Saturday.
Thanks in part to Madebach’s 10 points, the Lady Bulldogs have 48 points going into the final day of competition on Sunday. Behind Georgia are Florida (38), Arkansas (32), Tennessee (28) and Kentucky (22) rounding out the top five.
The Georgia men finished their third day of competition in seventh place with 25 points and four more qualifiers for final events. The Bulldogs, who finished with 10 student-athletes who advanced to the finals in their respective events, trail Tennessee (53.50), Ole Miss (39), Arkansas (39), LSU (37), Florida (31.50) and Auburn (31).
“The women are doing as well as expected and I don’t think there are any finishes we can complain about or any what ifs’ we can bring up,” said head coach Wayne Norton. “We were able to get another SEC individual championship from someone who is a great story and has come a long way in our program. I am pleased and proud of Sarah’s win and I think we have put ourselves in a good position for Sunday.”
On the men’s side, Norton was pleased with Sam Gillespie, who had the second-fastest men’s steeplechase time in school history, and with the fact that the men have been able to have 10 qualifiers for final events on Sunday.
“Our highlight today has to be Sam Gillespie in the steeplechase since his finish was tremendous for a guy who started as a walk-on for us and is now at the top of the conference,” Norton said. “I think our performances and qualifications for final events today will be good for us as the meet wraps up.”
Madebach (Augusta, Ga.) finished in 10:13.73 to give herself the first women’s SEC steeplechase win in school history and the first conference crown of her career. Her time also broke the SEC meet record from 2001, which was 10:13.89, and was the third league crown of the meet for the Lady Bulldogs.
“The steeplechase can always go anyway so I had no expectations going into it,” said Madebach, who was the No. 1-ranked competitor in the conference as well as the school record holder going into the race. “But God allows one person to win and I’m glad that person was me tonight. Seeing Jill (Steffens) win the 10,000 (on Friday) gave me confidence that I could do it and I am just pleased to win the race like I did.”
After capturing her second SEC hammer crown in a row, senior Jennifer Dahlgren had a season-best effort (48-2) in the shot put to take fourth place and give the Lady Bulldogs another 5 points. Dahlgren will finish her career for Georgia sitting at the No. 4 spot on the all-time shot put list with a mark of 49-3.50.
Also roping in fourth place for the Georgia women was junior Shaka Dennison. Dennison managed a personal-best and regional qualifying long jump mark of 20-3.75, which was her first jump of the competition, to add 5 more points to the Lady Bulldog total.
Sophomore Nate Rolfe, who transferred to Georgia from California, took third in his second event of the conference meet on Saturday. After battling for 6 points in the hammer on Friday, Rolfe launched a regional throw of 183-11 on his third attempt to take third in the discus. Rolfe’s top mark was the third-best throw of his Georgia
career.
Freshman Israel Machovec also advanced to the finals in the discus, but failed to score after a top regional mark of 170-8.
Also highlighting the distance side for Georgia was Gillespie. After finishing eighth in 2006, Gillespie shattered his previous career-best time of 9:03.95 after crossing the finish line in 8:56.67 to take sixth place. Gillespie’s finish shot him from the No. 6 spot to the No. 2 spot in Georgia’s all-time list.
Sophomore Kevin Dickson, who also competed in the long jump for the Bulldogs, tallied four points for Georgia in the high jump. Dickson’s mark of 6-8.75 tied his career-best effort in the event and gave him the first points of his career at an SEC outdoor meet.
On the track, sophomore Justin Gaymon earned a trip to the finals for the second hurdle event in a row after streaking to a regional qualifying time of 14.11 in the 110 hurdles. Freshman Johnny Simpkins notched a personal-best effort (14.44), but missed the finals by one spot.
Although he leads the league in the 400, senior David Dickens, who will already be competing in the 200 finals, was the ninth and final qualifier for the 400 finals. Dickens clocked a 46.86 to finish second in his heat and will be trying to become the first SEC outdoor champion in the event for Georgia since 1992.
The Bulldogs continued their streak of putting competitors in the finals at the 2007 meet during the men’s 1500. Junior Ryley Miller was ninth overall and fifth in the second heat after clocking a 3:49.80, which is his second-fastest time of the season.
Additionally, junior Ian Burrell, who will be one of the favorites in the 5000 on Sunday, finished fifth in the first heat and 10th overall with a time of 3:50.47 during only the second 1500 of the season for him.
Junior Natalie Picchetti, who arrived at the conference meet with the eighth-fastest time in the nation (4:17.47), cruised into a spot in the 1500 finals after finisher fourth in her heat and seventh overall by crossing the finish line in 4:32.74. Picchetti will be attempting to become the first Georgia runner to win the 1500 since Monika Ronnholm in 1995.
In other action on Saturday, sophomore Kevin Dickson registered a personal-best long jump of 23-8 and finished ninth in the prelims and freshman David Schiedt bettered his former PR in the javelin twice with a top mark of 182-4.
On Friday, seniors Jennifer Dahlgren and Jill Steffens both claimed SEC individual titles to give the Lady Bulldogs’ an early boost. Dahlgren won her second straight hammer throw championship after launching an effort of 227 and is now poised to defend her NCAA title. Steffens, who also claimed the 5000 title at the SEC indoor meet and will be battling in the 5000 on Sunday, clocked a 35:45.48 to win the 10,000 after pulling away from the challengers with seven laps left.
The final day of the SEC Championships arrives on Sunday and will kick-off with the women’s discus at 2 p.m. EDT. The last event of the meet is the women’s 4x400 relay at 9:35 p.m. followed by the awards presentation.
Live results and a recap from each day of the SEC Championships can be found at georgiadogs.com.
Team Standings
WOMEN MEN
1. GEORGIA 48 1. Tennessee 53.50
2. Florida 38 2. Ole Miss - 39
3. Arkansas - 32 2. Arkansas - 39
4. Tennessee - 28 4. LSU - 37
5. Kentucky 22 5. Florida 31.50
6. Ole Miss 17 6. Auburn - 31
7. LSU 15 7. GEORGIA - 25
8. Mississippi State - 12 8. South Carolina - 24
9. Alabama 9 9. Alabama - 17
10. Vanderbilt - 6 10. Mississippi State - 11
11. Auburn 5 11. Kentucky - 4
12. South Carolina - 2
Georgia’s 2007 SEC Individual Outdoor Champions
^Jennifer Dahlgren hammer (227 feet)
Jill Steffens 10,000-meter run (35:45.48)
^Sarah Madebach 3000 steeplechase (10:13.73)
^ - SEC meet records
Georgia’s scorers
$Nate Rolfe hammer (3rd 6 points)
$Kyle Helf hammer (5th 4 pts.)
$John Freeman hammer (7th 2 pts.)
$Dahlgren hammer (1st 10 pts.)
$Sarah Gretzmacher heptathlon (2nd 8 pts.)
Tommy Barrineau decathlon (5th 4 pts.)
Jill Steffens 10,000-meters (1st 10 pts.)
$Nate Rolfe discus (3rd 6 pts.)
$Shaka Dennison long jump (4th 5 pts.)
$Dahlgren shot put (4th 5 pts.)
$Sam Gillespie steeplechase (6th 3 pts.)
$Sarah Madebach steeplechase (1st 10 pts.)
Kevin Dickson high jump (5th 4 pts.)
Georgia’s qualifiers for Sunday’s finals
David Dickens 200, 400
Ian Burrell 1500
Natalie Picchetti 1500
Justin Gaymon 400 hurdles, 110 hurdles
Keelan Knox 400 hurdles
Trey Fletcher 400 hurdles
Ryley Miller 1500
Ross Ridgewell 800
Brian Etelman - 200
$ - NCAA regional qualifying mark
