Gustafson Earns Podium Spot, All-American Honors At National Championships

Friday, March 8

Birmingham, Ala.

6:15 PM

Bowling Green State University

NCAA Indoor National Championships

Gustafson Earns Podium Spot, All-American Honors At National Championships

March 08, 2019 | Women's Track and Field

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Birmingham, Ala. – Redshirt senior Aliyah Gustafson advanced to the finals in the shot put at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field National Championships, finishing seventh overall and earning first team All-American honors.

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Making her fourth appearance in a national championship (two during indoor track & field and two more during outdoor), Gustafson made the finals for the first time in her career. Her previous best finish was tenth place at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field National Championships, missing the nine-woman final by one spot.

"What a great step from last year with Aliyah making her first final," BGSU Track & Field Coach Lou Snelling said. "She was very poised on the largest stage for NCAA Indoor Track & Field."

Gustafson opened the meet with her best throw of the night, tossing the shot 56-feet-4 (17.17m). She sat third after the first round and was still in fifth heading to finals. Gustafson remained fifth going to the final round, but was unable to improve her distance and fell to seventh. Still, it was the best result for a BGSU track and field student-athlete at an indoor championship since Huina Han placed fourth in the triple jump in 1998.

"Aliyah's hard work and determination paid off today and I couldn't be more proud of her," BGSU Throws Coach Derrick Vicars said. "It was a great way for her to end her indoor career as a Falcon!"

Arizona State's Samantha Noennig won the national title with a toss of 58-9.25 (17.91m), while Stanford's Lena Giger was second at 58-8.5 (17.89m). Alabama's Portious Warren was third, followed by UCLA's Alyssa Wilson and Ohio State's Sade Olatoye. Khayla Dawson of Indiana was just two centimeters further than Gustafson for sixth.

Gustafson becomes the first Falcon to earn a podium spot in either indoor or outdoor track & field since Brooke Pleger was third in the hammer throw at the 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. Gustafson will close out her career at Bowling Green this outdoor season, looking for her fifth appearance at a national championship.