Chari Hawkins Breaks Own School Record in Heptathlon at NCAA Outdoor Finals

Utah State's [University] Chari Hawkins broke her own school record in the heptathlon, but it still wasn't enough to garner first-team All-America honors.

Hawkins wrapped up her illustrious career as an Aggie by recording 5,750 points in the heptathlon Wednesday [June 10, 2015] at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Finals at historic Hayward Field. By finishing 14th in the event, Hawkins garnered second-team All-America honors for the third consecutive year.

"I kind of wish that high jump would have gone a little bit better because I was only 56 points off of what I needed to do to get first team, but it was a really stacked field and there were so many amazing competitors, it was insane," Hawkins said. "I was so happy just to even land where I landed because I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to do that."

Overall, Hawkins is the most decorated female athlete in school history as she has garnered five second-team All-America honors, including twice in the pentathlon.

Competitors who finish in the top eight earn first-team honors. Kansas State's Akela Jones finished first in the heptathlon with 6,371 points, while Wichita State's Nikki Larch-Miller took eighth with 5,806 points.

"When you set a new school record, but you don't get first team, it's not like she didn't accomplish something," veteran Utah State head coach Gregg Gensel said. "It's frustrating, but it's still something she should be proud of because she went down fighting so to speak. She came out and got within a few centimeters of her PR in the long jump and that kind of set the stage for her to do well.

"She was determined to do everything she could in her power. She can't control what other people do. Unfortunately, this is a year where the field was tremendously deep."

The senior from Rexburg, Idaho, set the old school record of 5,732 points in the heptathlon at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 26, which automatically qualified her for the NCAA Outdoor Finals.

"You always try to just do your best and when you can get a school record, it's just kind of that cherry on top of a sundae," Hawkins said.

Hawkins began the final day of competition in the heptathlon with a 13th-place finish in the long jump (6.02m/19-09.00). After fouling on the second attempt, Hawkins recorded her third-highest score of the season in the event on her final jump.

Hawkins then recorded her highest score of the season in the javelin (39.13m/128-04) as she finished 12th in the event.

"I was impressed that she was so determined to do everything she could," Gensel said. "It's impressive she stuck with it and it shows her maturity both as a person and as an athlete."

Hawkins concluded the heptathlon by placing 16th in the 800m with a season-best time of 2:24.68.

On day one of the Outdoor Finals, Hawkins set two personal-bests in the 100m hurdles (13.44) and 200m (24.28), respectively. She finished eighth in each event. Hawkins also tied for eighth in the high jump (1.69m/5-06.50) and 19th in the shot put (11.48m/37-8.00).

"This year my speed has increased a lot, so I was able to get a PR in both the hurdles and in the 200," Hawkins said. "Those were really exciting moments for me."

Hawkins earned second-team All-America honors in both 2013 and 2014 after finishing 11th and ninth, respectively, in the heptathlon.

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