Boise State excels from Regionals to Nationals

The 16 Broncos who attended the West Regional Championships in Provo, Utah on the campus of Brigham Young University May 26 and 27 were the largest contention of Boise State student-athletes to qualify for regional competition in school history.

Led by two-time NCAA All-American Mattias Jons, the Bronco men’s team took 8th at Regionals with a total of 33 points. Out of the 11 Boise State men who competed, four advanced to the NCAA National Outdoor Championships held in Sacramento, Calif. Jons and Simon Wardhaugh advanced in the men’s hammer, and Keron Francis and Scot Viafore advanced in the men’s javelin.

On the Boise State women’s team, two members also advanced to NCAA Nationals: Eleni Kafourou in the triple jump, and Jackieann Morain in the 400-meter dash. Kafourou and Morain combined to score 14 points for the women’s team to place 13th overall at Regionals.

Jons lead the team at the NCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships, June 7, posting the top throw in the qualifying round of the men’s hammer. Jons continued to dominate in the finals, leading the competition with his mark of 233-11 (71.31m) until in the final round and final throw of the competition when Virginia Tech University’s Spyridon Jullien let go a winning effort of 237-2 (72.29m). Freshman Wardhaugh missed qualifying for finals in the hammer when he posted the 16th best throw at 203-1 (61.91m).

This marked the second straight year Jons took second in the national men’s hammer championship, as well as his third NCAA All-America award. His others came at last year’s outdoor championships, and this past March when he placed sixth in the 35-pound weight throw at the NCAA National Indoor Championships.

Francis advanced to the finals of the men’s javelin at the NCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 8, as the Boise State University thrower posted the second best qualifying round mark of 237-7 (72.43m) to advance to the finals. Viafore, a Boise State sophomore, missed advancing to the final round when he placed 16th with a throw of 210-7 (64.18m).

Francis finished third in the men’s javelin finals, June 10, with a throw of 237-6 (72.38m). Francis’ third place throw came on his last attempt of the competition, which was won by Justin Ryncavage of the University of North Carolina with a throw of 243-4 (74.18m). This throw also earned Francis his second Career All-American award, complimenting the All-American he was awarded two years ago when he placed fourth in the same event.

Francis’ third place finish, combined with teammate Mattias Jons’ runner-up performance in the hammer on Friday (June 9), tied the Bronco men with three other teams for 16th place. Boise State scored 14 points to tie with Providence College, Iona University, and Long Beach State. The team finish by the Bronco men marked the third straight year Boise State has placed in the top 20. In 2004 Boise State scored 17 points to tie for 15th place, and last season the Bronco men tied for 14th place with 18 points.

Neither Eleni Kafourou or Jackieann Morain were able to advance to the final rounds of their competitions.

Compiled from Broncosports

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