After an indoor season that spanned nearly two months, the Tide track and field team will send five athletes to the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday and Saturday. Two of the five athletes are ranked in the top 10 nationally in their events. All-American high jumper Krystle Schade is tied for fifth in the nation with a clearance of 6 feet, 2 inches. Sprinter Diondre Batson is tied for ninth with his time of 20.81 in the 200 meters.
All-American pole vaulter Alexis Paine, All-American long jumper Kamal Fuller and triple jumper Jonathan Reid will also compete in Fayetteville. Paine recently improved on her previous personal best and school record by 2 1/2 inches when she cleared 13 feet, 11 inches. This is the third time this season she has broken the school record. Fuller is currently ranked seventh in the nation with his jump of 25 feet, 8 3/4 inches. Reid is tied for 14th with his jump of 52 feet, 3 1/4 inches.
Schade, who placed second at the Southeastern Conference Championships on Feb. 24, earned her fourth Indoor All-SEC accolade.
“I’m interested to see how Krystle [Schade] competes this weekend. We were a little disappointed at SECs because we felt she was ready to PR, but she was just off rhythm and didn’t get into a good flow that day,” head coach Dan Waters said. “Hopefully she’s more comfortable this time around. It’s the same facility she competed on at SECs, and she’s a veteran who usually comes through in the big meets.”
Batson placed fourth in the 200 meters at the SEC Championships with a time of 20.81, just shy of his personal best of 20.50.
“We knew when we signed Diondre [Batson] that he had all the tools to be one of the best sprinters in the nation,” Waters said. “He is actually just rounding into shape now and getting used to competing on indoor tracks, as he has very little experience running indoors.”
Paine won the women’s pole vault at the SEC Championships and took home her first All-SEC honors.
“Alexis [Paine] is really vaulting well now. She has improved drastically since shifting her focus exclusively to the pole vault. Her improvements this year have been remarkable, and the sky’s the limit for her,” Waters said. “She is facing a tough, veteran group of competitors this weekend, but she has tremendous potential and is competing with a lot of confidence right now, just as one would hope heading into this meet.”
Two-time Second Team All-American Fuller recorded a personal best at the SEC Championships with his 25 feet, 8 3/4 jump and finished fourth. He will compete in his third NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend.
“Kamal [Fuller] has been here before, and he knows what to do. He can compete with the best in the country, and I know [UA jumps coach] Coach Booth has him ready,” Waters said.
After finishing fifth at the SEC Championships, Reid will compete in his first NCAA Indoor Championships.
“Jonathan [Reid] is another of our athletes that has really started to see what he is capable of this season. He has shown amazing improvements this season in the triple jump,” Waters said. “I think his current PR is 9 inches ahead of what he had previously done, so that gives you an idea of how much he has improved by working with Coach Booth. For Diondre [Batson] and Jonathan [Reid], this is another step in their progression to being a national contender. All of them are competing at a high level, at their best at this time of the year. That’s what you look for. I am excited for them and looking forward to seeing how they do.”
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