EUGENE, Ore. – Georgia Tech women’s track & field student-athletes Bria Matthews & Nicole Fegans both earned all-American honors in their respective events at the final day of the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday evening. Georgia Tech’s women finished the 2021 Outdoor Championships with a total of 8 points, landing the Jackets in a seven-way tie for 33rd-place on the team leaderboard.
“It was awesome to come in to the national championships and leave with a 33rd-place team finish,” said head women’s track & field coach Alan Drosky. “We couldn’t ask more of Bria and Nicole. They’ve led our team all year. Both are tremendous competitors and they set the tone for the team. We’re so proud of both them and the way they represent the Yellow Jackets.”
Matthews garnered first team all-American honors in the women’s triple jump after setting a new personal and school record in the event after leaping for a mark of 13.90m/45′ 7.25″ to take sixth-place overall. It is the sixth time she has secured the title all-American in her collegiate career. Earlier in the week Matthews collected all-American status in the women’s long jump, tying her career best mark in that event. It is the second time in her career she has been named an all-American in both the triple & long jump, having also done so in 2016.
I can’t say enough about Bria and what she has meant to our program,” added Drosky. “The story of her career is so inspiring. To end her collegiate career on this stage is so fitting. In the long jump, she equals the best jump of her career on her final attempt to move from fifth-place to fourth. Then, today, again on the final attempt of her career in the triple jump, to jump farther than she ever has before and move from seventh-place to sixth. You couldn’t write the script any better. Next up for her will be the Olympic Trials back here starting next week.”
Fegans clocked in at 15:59.72 in the women’s 5K final, placing 15th with the second-best time in that event in her career giving her a spot on the second team all-American list. Adding to her 2020 indoor, 2020 XC and 2021 indoor all-American performances Fegans receives the honor for the fourth time in her collegiate career. Saturday’s race is the first time since 2002 that a Yellow Jacket female has earned all-American status in the outdoor 5K.
“For Nicole, it wasn’t her best day today, but she fought hard the entire way and never gave up,” said Drosky. “That’s all you can ask. She has had an incredible year. She competed in three national championships literally within the last three months. From 10th at Indoors, then 12th at Cross Country, and now 15th today. That is a lot of high-level racing and it takes a toll on a runner. Nicole positioned herself well during the race but when it came time to move with the pack late in the race, we could see the tank was on empty. She kept fighting though. Next up for her will be a well-deserved break.”
It was the 17th time in program history that the women’s team scored at outdoor nationals. In 2019 Tech finished 41st on the team leaderboard, improving eight spots on the national level following Saturday’s action.
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