Kentucky Track & Field Earns 16 All-America Honors for Indoor Season

March 17, 2015

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky track and field teams had 12 first team All-America selections for the 2015 indoor season, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced.

The UK women’s team had six athletes earn a combined 10 first team selections, which was the second best output from any team this season behind only the NCAA Champion Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Kentucky women’s team earned school-record finishes for place (fifth) and points (35) at the 2015 NCAA Championships last weekend.

The UK women’s team was one of two in the country that had a triple first team All-America honoree. Dezerea Bryant finished in the NCAA top eight in the 60 meters, 200m and 4×400m relay, highlighted by a third-place finish in the 200. Bryant is now a 15-time All-American

The UK men’s team had two first team All-America selections. Keffri Neal and Bradley Szypka. Neal has been named an All-American twice, while Szypka has earned first-team honors twice and All-America honors three times overall.

First Team All-America honors go to those who finish in the top-8 at the NCAA Championships. Second team honors go to eighth-through-16th place finishers at the NCAA Championships.

Kendra Harrison, the NCAA 60m Hurdles Champion, earned first-team honors in the hurdles as well as the 4x400m relay. Bryant, Morganne Phillips and Ariah Graham also earned first-team honors. Harrison became the third fastest collegiate hurdler ever with her NCAA-winning time of 7.87.

Harrison has earned first team All-America honors 12 times. Phillips is now a two-time first team All-American, and has a total of three All-America selections as she made the second team in the 400m.

Sha’Keela Saunders was UK’s other multiple All-America honoree. She was the Silver Medalist in the long jump and placed sixth in the triple jump. Saunders finished as Kentucky’s top individual scorer for the meet, having earned 11 points for the Championships, which ranked in the top-10 points output by a single athlete at the 2015 NCAA Championships.

Saunders has been named a first team All-American three times.

Kenyattia Hackworth earned first team honors in the long jump.

Szpka placed fifth in the shot put with a mark of 63’6″/19.35m. Neal ran 4:04.93 for eighth place in the mile.

A post-produced condensed version of the NCAA Championships will air on ESPN on Sunday, March. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Kentucky First Team All-Americans

Keffri Neal: Mile

Brad Szypka: Shot Put

Dezerea Bryant: 60 Meters

Dezerea Bryant: 200 Meters

Dezerea Bryant: 4×400 Relay

Ariah Graham: 4×400 Relay

Kenyattia Hackworth: Long Jump