Hardee sets new collegiate record in heptathlon
ALBUQUERQUE -- University of Texas senior Trey Hardee (Birmingham, Ala.) rewrote the NCAA record books Friday with a dominant day-two performance in the heptathlon at the New Mexico Multi-Events Meet at the Albuquerque Convention Center. After winning three of four heptathlon components on day one, Hardee claimed the 60-meter hurdles and the pole vault and took second in the 1,000 meters for a final heptathlon score of 6,208 points, eclipsing the NCAA record of 6,136 points set at the 2004 NCAA Championships by then-UT freshman Donovan Kilmartin (Eagle, Idaho). Hardee needed merely 5,650 points to automatically qualify for the 2006 NCAA Championships - he surpassed the mark by nearly 600 points. "When you set a national collegiate record on your first outing of the season, you're sending a statement to everyone else competing in that event," said UT coach Bubba Thornton. "Trey (Hardee) was healthy during fall workouts, and the work ethic certainly was there all along. It just all came together for Trey." All totaled, Hardee collected personal bests in four of the seven heptathlon components - 60 meters, long jump, 60-meter hurdles and pole vault - to break the NCAA record, although Kilmartin still holds the heptathlon record at an NCAA championship meet. Hardee also recorded NCAA provisional marks in the long jump, 60-meter hurdles and the pole vault. The previous top heptathlon mark of 2006 was a score of 5,375 points turned in by Liberty's Brandon Hoskins. Hardee's score of 6,208 points likely is the highest in the world early on in 2006 and would have been the world's second-highest mark last year. Kilmartin also automatically qualified for the 2006 NCAA Championships with a final score of 5,870 points and set three new personal bests. Kilmartin and teammate Andrew Webb (Midland, Texas) were the only event competitors to top Hardee on day one, as they tied for first in the high jump. "I'm pleased with (Donovan) Kilmartin's performance," added Thornton. "He has received treatment for a nagging hip injury, yet he laid out an NCAA automatic-qualifying mark." Webb took fifth place overall with 4,955 points, while freshman Dustin Bynum (Corpus Christi, Texas) placed seventh with 4,785 points. "(Andrew) Webb had a good start for a freshman, finishing only 245 points off the NCAA provisional mark," Thornton concluded. The third-ranked Longhorns return to action on Friday, Feb. 4 at the Armory Collegiate Invitational in New York City. New Mexico Multi-Events Meet 60-Meter Hurdles Pole Vault 1000 Meters
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