Juniors earn top finishes at USA Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – Razorback freshmen Cali George and Leah Orley had top five finishes in their respective events on the final day of competition at the USA Junior Championships, held at Oregon’s Hayward Field.

George competed in the junior 3,000-meter steeplechase. She finished fifth overall with a time of 11:20.35. She ends the season with a personal-best time of 11:04.73.

"I’m glad to have this experience," George said. "I thought about not competing and just starting to build my base for cross country season. I’m a little disappointed with the time and finish but it’s definitely something to build on. This race and the experience of competing at the USA Championships will definitely help me in the future."

Orley finished day two of the junior heptathlon on Sunday. She finished tied for fourth overall with her point total of 4,746 points. She had a long jump of 16-9.25, good for 589 points. She followed that up with a javelin toss of 93-2 (446 points) and an 800-meter time of 2:21.02 (810 points).

Senior Etienne Chaplin finished the senior heptathlon, placing 12th with 5,426 points. Her two-day mark is the fourth-best point total in her Razorback career. She marked a long jump of 19-8.75 and picked up 853 points. Her toss of 115-9 in the javelin earned 577 points. She ended the day with a time of 2:26.22 and 741 points in the 800 meters.

Chaplin has now concluded her Razorback career. She ends as a 2007 NCAA All-American, a two-time SEC Champion, a three-time All-SEC honoree and a two-time all-region honoree.

Junior Katie Stripling’s collegiate season came to an end Sunday. She finished tied for ninth and second among collegians in the pole vault. She cleared the opening height of 13-9.25. In 2009, she was the SEC Outdoor Champion with a meet, school and personal record of 14-5.25. She earned two All-America honors with a bronze finish indoors and a fifth-place finish outdoors. She was also named the SEC Co-Field Athlete of the Year.

Former Razorback All-American April Steiner Bennett finished tied for fourth in the pole vault. She cleared 14-7.25.

Former Razorback NCAA Champion La’Shaunte’a Moore competed in the 200 meters. In Saturday’s prelims, she won her heat and finished second overall with a time of 22.60. In Sunday’s semifinal, she was third in her heat and sixth overall with a time of 22.57. Later in the day she finished eighth in the finals with a time of 22.77.

Former Razorback great Gi-Gi Johnson did not finish the heptathlon. She competed in the long jump, scoring 846 points with a jump of 810 points but did not compete in the javelin or the 800 meters.

For complete results and meet information, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com or USATF.org.