Wilson leads IU to 19th in NCAAs

IU has something to boast about at the close of the NCAA Championships -- three prominent All-Americans. After a long, arduous year of indoor and outdoor track, three athletes for IU return from the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento with new All-America awards.\nThe Hoosiers took home their second straight top-25 finish in the Championships with a 19th place finish with 14 points.\nSenior All-American Aarik Wilson, who dominated the indoor meet, winning both the long and triple jump, was hampered somewhat at the end of his senior outdoor campaign by a minor leg injury. Regardless, he pulled through with bronze medals in both events this past weekend, and exhibited the class he has displayed throughout his years at IU. \n"I have to congratulate Fabrice (Lapierre)," said Wilson, who has one season of indoor eligibility remaining. "It was a life-time personal best for him. Obviously I would have liked to have won."\nTwo junior distance runners also provided some excitement for IU. In the 1,500-meter, All-American Sean Jefferson set a lifetime best en route to his seventh place finish. His time of 3 minutes, 38.91 seconds is equivalent to a 3:55 mile, and left him less than a second short of second place. \n"I've wanted to run faster as the season ends," Jefferson said. "After NCAAs there is the USA Championships and then I might get a chance to run in some fast races in Europe."\nJefferson's time moved him to fifth on IU's all-time 1,500-meter list. Three of the marks in front of him were set by Olympians.\nAlso continuing a strong season was junior All-American Stephen Haas, who earned his first outdoor track and third overall All-America award in the 5,000-meter.\n"I'm hoping to run some races in Europe as well," said Haas, who finished with a final time of 14:05, which rates among his five best times. "This year has been great."\nTwo other Hoosiers competed at the NCAA Championships. Senior Jake Wiseman missed clearing a height in the high jump which prevented him from finishing the decathlon. Senior Tom Burns, likely still fatigued from his Regional race two weeks ago, was unable to qualify for the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He will race again in two weeks, along with Wilson, Sean Jefferson, John Jefferson, Haas and David Neville at the USA Track and Field Championships.