6/8/2007
TRACK AND FIELD: Best outdoor finish for NSU since 1993; Fillinich is only the 10th three-time All-American in school history
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Northwestern State junior Cody Fillinich finished fourth Friday night in the javelin at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, earning him All-America honors for the third straight year as he led four state athletes in the 12-man final.
North Carolina senior Justin Ryncavage successfully defended his NCAA title with a 241-5 throw, followed by teammate Adam Montague (236-1), Cal Poly-SLO senior Aris Borjas (234-4) and Fillinich (230-5), a junior from Cut Off-South Lafourche.
McNeese freshman Chris Hill was fifth at 229-4, followed by LSU sophomore Chad Radgowski in sixth at 225-11. LSU freshman Preston Chatham took 10th in 212-3.
“It’s good to see Louisina people up there, with two Southland Conference guys leading the way at fourth and fifth,” said Fillinich, the 2007 SLC champion, who was 10th in the 2005 NCAA meet and ninth last year. “I’ve improved (his finishes) every year and hopefully I can do that again next year.
“I started good with my first throw and was second (after three throws) going into the finals, and the other two guys just got it a little further. I really thought my second throw in the finals was going to be a big one but I missed it just a little bit. I thought I might be close to my season’s goal of 245 feet, but I had a little breakdown and lost some distance. Maybe I can hit a big one in a couple of weeks at the USA Championships,” he said.
“I’m pleased, definitely, but I feel like I could have done better. My goal was to come out in the top five and I did that, but I think I could have gotten second,” said Fillinich, whose season-best 237-2 would have been second Friday night.
The fourth-place finish was the best showing at the NCAA Outdoors by a Northwestern competitor since future Olympian LaMark Carter was fourth in the triple jump at the 1994 national meet. Lady Demon standout Stephanie Sowell took second in the long jump at the 2004 NCAA Indoors.
He won the 46th All-America honor for Northwestern in the 25 years Leon Johnson has been track and field coach.
“Finishing in the top eight in the country, or being one of the top eight American-born finishers in the nation, that’s very elite company. To do it three straight years is just outstanding,” said Johnson. “We wanted to get on the (eight-man) awards stand this year and he did that with lots of room to spare. We’re very, very proud of Cody.”
Fillinich became the 10th three-time All-American in NSU track and field history, joining high jumper Brian Brown (six-time), Sowell (four), 2004 Olympic triple jumper Kenta Bell (three), Carter (three), sprinter Ronnie Powell (three), high jumper Terrence Bean (three), triple jumper Eric Lancelin (three), long jumper Llewellyn Starks (three), sprinter Mark Duper (three), and long jumper Mike Brown (three). Brown is the only NSU competitor to earn All-America honors all four seasons he competed for the Demons, adding two indoor awards, including the 1990 NCAA Indoor high jump title.
This marks the ninth time in 10 years Northwestern has had either a male or female javelin thrower reach the NCAA Outdoor Championships. All of the athletes have been Louisiana prep products and four previously -- Fillinich, Latrell Frederick, Regina Roe and Samantha Ford -- have won All-America honors.