McClain an All-American After Finishing Fourth

COLLEGE STATION, Texas— Hayden McClain saved his best for last.

On day 2 of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at Texas A&M, McClain recorded a mark of 53-0.25 in the sixth and final round on day 2 to finish fourth in the triple jump.

The senior improved in each of his first three rounds, starting with an initial distance of 49-9.25. In round two, he jumped 51-0.25 and 52-10 in round three. His third round attempt propelled him up to fourth in the standings, which is where he would finish.

As a result of his performance, McClain earned first-team All-America honors, a first for the Phoenix, Ariz., native.

“If you look at the results, only a couple of the 16 had results that were on par,” according to head coach Jim VanHootegem. “It was a tricky day for pretty much the whole group. That said, I was extremely proud of Hayden's toughness. He figured out a way to hold his fourth seed and earn his first, first-team All-America honor.

“It has been a great experience seeing Hayden grow into a national-level jumper. He leaves with another great experience and he is healthy, so I am looking forward to continuing on and seeing even more during our outdoor season.”

ESPN2 will air a tape-delayed broadcast of the championships tomorrow at 6 p.m. (CT).

Looking ahead, the Sooners begin the outdoor season next Friday and Saturday. The team will travel to Arizona in the early part of spring break to continue training in advance of the Baldy Castillo Invitational.