Cooper takes third and picks up All-American status at NCAA Indoor Championships

By Colleen Drozan
Western Herald

On Friday, Western Michigan University thrower Irene Cooper took third place at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Arkansas.

In the 20-pound weight throw, Cooper threw a distance of 69 feet, 2.75 inches, beating her previous school record of 67 feet, 10.25 inches set earlier this season.  Cooper’s third place finish guarantees her All-American status, becoming WMU’s ninth All-American, and third under Bronco head coach Kelly Lycan.

Cooper is also the third field student-athlete in Western Michigan’s history to earn All-American status, joining the ranks of Jamie Strieter in the javelin and Kay Barstow in the high jump.

This was her second straight year competing at the NCAA Indoor Championships.  During the 2009 season, she finished in 10^th place, just outside the top eight she needed in order to make All-American.

In first place was Louisville’s D’Ana McCarty, who took first place with a distance of 74 feet, 8.25 inches, Victoria Flowers edged out Cooper for second place with a distance of 70 feet, 4.25 inches.

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Posted by heraldstaff on Mar 12 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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