Arizona senior Brigetta Barrett made her mark on the college track and field scene long before she ever stepped onto the track at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday afternoon.
But her performance at the NCAA outdoor championships cemented her status as one of the all-time best in the high jump -- and perhaps any event at the collegiate level -- as she earned her third consecutive national title, her sixth overall, while winning her 25th consecutive event.
Barrett jumped 6 feet, 4 ¾ inches in the final to help the UA women finish sixth as a team. It was the best the 2012 Olympic silver medalist had ever jumped in an NCAA event, but she was still a bit discouraged -- she had hoped to set a new collegiate record by surpassing 6-6 ¾.
“I can’t complain, so I feel good,” she said via phone after the win. “Not many people can say they’ve done this.”
She also became only the second woman in NCAA history to win three straight outdoor high jump titles, joining former Arizona star Tanya Hughes.
As for her victory streak, Barrett said she appreciates the accomplishment. “I’m definitely proud of the streak,” she said. “I’m grateful to have the streak.”
Adding to Arizona’s overall success, Lawi Lalang, who captured the 10K national title earlier in the week, won the 5K event, becoming the only dual winner at the NCAA outdoor championships.
The UA men’s team finished 10th overall with 20.5 points, 20 of which came from Lalang's two victories. Edgar Rivera-Morales added 0.5 points by finishing eighth in the men’s high jump.
“I feel good about everything,” Lalang said. “Sometimes it’s what you have to do for the team. ... Sometimes you get to the starting line and say, ‘What am I going to give to the team?' They’ve been there for me, so I have to give back.”
The title was the seventh overall for Lalang, who has one more year of eligibility. He is just the 12th man in NCAA history to win championships in both events, doing so just three years after arriving from Kenya having never run a competitive race.
The next step for both Barrett and Lalang will be preparing for the world championships in Russia later this summer.
