UVA's Young Takes Third At NCAA Indoor Championships
March 11, 2017
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Senior Jordan Young (Windsor, Ontario) finished third in the weight throw on Saturday (March 11) to lead the No. 15 Virginia men’s track and field team in the final day of competition at the NCAA Indoor Championships, hosted by Texas A&M.
Virginia finished tied for 16th overall with a team score of 12 points. Host Texas A&M finished first with a team score of 46 points.
“The overall indoor season didn’t go as we desired, or expected, even finishing in the top 10 and having the highest ever finish at ACCs,” UVA director of track and field/cross country Bryan Fetzer said. “Reaching the top is never an easy task, especially when it’s something new. The growth as a program these young men have made over the last few years has put our program in the position to have those expectations and goals. I have the utmost confidence that our men will learn and grow from it heading into the outdoor season. I’m excited about the direction of the program. There is a lot more to come in the future.”
Young entered the finals in third-place, turning in a mark of 22.32m (73′ 02.75″) and maintained that position throughout the finals, taking third overall in the event with his best throw of the day, hitting a mark of 22.41m (73′ 06.25″). Young earned first-team All-America honors with his third-place finish.
“Considering that Jordan came back after missing last year in the fall, it was incredible,” said Virginia assistant and throws coach Martin Maric. “He was most consistent, but a little short of luck today. All of his throws were around 22 meters which he hasn’t had so far. To finish third today after not throwing all year, and the injury last year, it was incredible.”
Young’s first competition of the season was on Feb. 3, when he won the weight throw at the Crimson Elite Meet in Boston.
Also competing for the Cavaliers on day two of the NCAA Indoor Championships was freshman Jordan Scott (Portmore, Jamaica), who competed in the triple jump. Scott’s best jump of the day, a mark of 15.69m (51′ 05.75″), earned him a 10th place finish and narrowly missed the cut for the finals.
The performance by Young in the weight throw on Saturday capped a weekend that saw the Cavaliers claim two bronze finishes in throws and all five competitors earn All-America honors. Young joined redshirt sophomore Oghenakpobo Efekoro (Brooklyn, N.Y.) in earning first-team All-America honors. Efekoro finished third in the shot put on Friday (March 10).
Also earning All-America honors in their competitions on Friday night were redshirt junior Filip Mihaljevic (Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina) in the shot put and senior Zach Herriott (Kansas City, Mo.) in the men’s 5000m.
Virginia will open its outdoor track and field season at the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday, March 24.