RESULTS
SAN ANGELO, Texas – Angelo State's six-time All-American Chrystal Ruiz gave herself the opportunity to make a seventh All-America team as she automatically qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships by winning the pentathlon at the GVSU Big Meet with a score of 3,853 points.
““I felt like it was an extremely good meet for Chrystal,” head coach
James Reid said. “The marks she put up were solid but not outstanding. She scored well and was comfortable throughout the day. I never felt she was having to press or had to push herself too hard. When you get an automatic mark with that kind of comfort it is a big confidence boost.”
The 3,853 points is an NCAA automatic mark and the third best in NCAA Division II this season. She won four of five events in the pentathlon and followed it up with an impressive 400M.
“Hitting the auto mark secures my spot and that was my goal, Ruiz said. “I do have tweaks and a lot of things to work on but I feel I am in a good position.”
In her first 400M of her career, Ruiz ran a 55.60 with only an hour break between the end of the pentathlon and the 400M. The converted 56.00 due to track size, ranks Ruiz at No. 6 in NCAA Division II. She ran the fifth-fastest time of the day.
“I didn't know what to expect in the 400M since it was my first open 400M,” Ruiz said. “It seemed like a really fast heat but I was really happy with my time.”
The first event of the pentathlon was the 60M hurdles and Ruiz took a big lead with a time of 8.82. The 948 points scored in the first event was 61 points better than second place.
The high jump brought 842 points after she cleared 5'-6.50” (1.69M). She won the high jump and turned around threw the shot put 33'-3.25” (10.14M) to score 539 points. Shot put was the only event Ruiz failed to have the best mark.
Ruiz jumped 18”-00.25” (5.49M) for the best jump in the long jump and scored 697 points. Ruiz ran a 2:19.39 in the 800M and scored 832 points.
The NCAA Division II Indoor Championships will be held on March 8-9 in Mankato, Minn.
