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March 22, 2007

ON CAMPUS: Almost All-Americans

Turland, Lenfert just miss elite status

By KEVIN HARRIS

New Albany graduate Emily Turland and Charlestown alumnus Clara Lenfert have a lot in common.

They are both seniors in college.

They compete in field events for their respective women’s track teams.

And they nearly were named All-Americans.

On March 10, Turland finished 10th in the weight throw for the University of Louisville in the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Meanwhile, Lenfert placed ninth in the high jump for Indianapolis-based Marian College in the NAIA Indoor Championships in Johnson City, Tenn.

Close, but no cigar for Turland

Turland was one spot away from getting an All-American citation in the weight throw, which is similar to the hammer throw. The weight throw has a shorter chain, but the weight is 20 pounds instead of the hammer’s 8.8-pound weight.

Turland needed to finish in the top eight among the American competitors to receive All-American honors, and it was a familiar face that beat her out for the final spot. Minnesota senior Elizabeth Alabi placed ninth with a throw of 66 feet, 2 1/2 inches, while Turland had a toss of 64-7 3/4.

“It was pretty disappointing,” said Turland, who also was one spot short of making the finals. “The girl ahead of me (Alabi) beat me by one centimeter earlier in the year.”

Despite not making All-American, Turland was happy with how she performed in her first indoor nationals. She finished six spots better than where she was seeded.

“It was pretty good. I wish I could have done a little better,” Turland said. “I was ranked 16th going in and I came out 10th. You can’t complain about that.”

The top-10 finish in the nationals capped off a great indoor campaign for Turland. She won her first Big East Conference championship in the weight throw in February at 66-1/2. It was also a good day for her husband, U of L senior Arthur Turland, who won the men’s weight throw at 68-3 1/4.

“It was definitely exciting and my husband also won, which was doubly exciting,” Emily Turland said.

Turland started her outdoor season on a fairly good note at last weekend’s Baldy Castillo Invitational on the Arizona State campus in Tempe, Ariz. She won the hammer throw at 198 feet, qualifying her for the NCAA Mideast Regional in late May. She placed eighth in the shot put at 44-8 1/4 despite spraining an ankle, and was 12th in the discus at 118-6.

Turland’s main goals for the outdoor campaign are to qualify for her second straight NCAA Championships and earn All-American honors in the hammer throw.

“I definitely want to be an All-American in the hammer,” she said. “I just want to throw well and try to make it to all three events (hammer, discus and shot) at regional.”

Third time nearly the charm for Lenfert

Competing in her third NAIA indoor nationals, Lenfert came up just shy of earning All-American honors.

Lenfert’s ninth-place finish was three spots short of making All-American, recording a leap of 5-3. In her previous two trips to nationals, Lenfert placed 11th and 14th.

“I was hoping to make top six, so I can be an All-American. But top nine in the nation is pretty good,” Lenfert said. “Hopefully, I’ll get it in the outdoor season.”

Lenfert was proud of her performance throughout her final indoor season. She set a new personal-best jump of 5-5.

“I was pretty pleased,” she said. “I had a new PR at 5-5, so I was really excited about that. Overall, it was pretty successful.”

Lenfert’s focus is now on the outdoor season. She helped the Knights win their season opener last Saturday in the Wabash Relays, winning the high jump at 5 feet.

Lenfert has her sights on going to her third outdoor nationals. She must record a leap of 5-4 1/2 to qualify for the event.

“I hope to get to outdoor nationals. I hope to do 5-5 or better,” Lenfert said.

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