Cats Get 1st 200M National Champion

Sorrillo Becomes First 200m National Champion in UK History

Men's Team Cracks Top-15 Overall with Sorrillo's 18 Points

June 12, 2010

EUGENE, Ore. -- Senior Rondel Sorrillo capped off a record breaking career, becoming the first NCAA Champion in the 200-meter dash in Kentucky track and field history at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., Saturday.

Sorrillo, now an eight time All-American, distanced himself from the field coming off the Bowerman Curve down the straight away to claim his first NCAA title, in 20.36 seconds. The time of 20.36 is Sorrillo's second fastest time of his career, after his school-record time of 20.29 set at the east preliminary meet this year.

"It really hasn't hit me that I am the 200m champ," Sorrillo said. "The cold weather played a major part in the race, I believe this race could have been a lot faster if the conditions had been favorable. I am just glad to get the victory."

Sorrillo stands second all-time at Kentucky with eight All-America honors and has reached that mark in two years, faster than anyone in UK history. The senior stands just behind Olympian Tim Harden who captured 10 in four years from 1993 to 1996. Sorrillo is also the first Southeastern Conference athlete to win the 200m dash since Wallace Spearmon of Arkansas in 2005.

"Rondel bounced back pretty well from what happened in the 4x1 and didn't let it affect his 200," UK assistant coach of sprints Erin Tucker said. "He didn't have the greatest start of the 200 but into the turn he didn't feel like anyone was running with him. Rondel transitioned really well in and out of the curve and with 80 meters left the race was pretty much over. We wanted to improve on last year and the only way to do that was win, after a second place finish last year and that's what happened."

With Sorrillo's 18 points, 10 points for first in the 200m and 8 points for second in the 100m, the Kentucky men's track and field team finished 13th overall. Adding another record to Sorrillo's career, he has collected the most points in a single NCAA Championship by anyone in UK history. The men's team total of 18 is the second-most points scored by the men in UK history behind the 25 scored in 2008.
The men's 4x100m relay team did not finish after the baton was dropped on the second exchange between Sorrillo and senior Kwasi Obeng. The 4x100m relay came into the finals as the seventh seed with a season-best time of 39.62.



The women's team finished 51st with three points all coming from senior Ashley Muffet. Muffet placed seventh in the shot put collecting two points and eighth in discus collecting one point.

The entire Kentucky track and field team, men and women included, earned five All-America honors. Two for Rondel Sorrillo for his performance in the men's 100 and 200m dash, two for Ashley Muffet for her performance in the women's shot put and discus and one for Colin Boevers in the men's discus.

"Rondel has been spectacular in a short but brilliant career," head coach Don Weber said. "He's as good a person as he is an athlete and its really gratifying to see him go out like he did."

Follow all Kentucky track and field updates at Ukathletics.com.

Day 4 Results - Saturday, June 12 Running Events Men's 200 Meter Dash Final - 1:49 p.m. ET/10:49 a.m. PT 1. Rondel Sorrillo - 20.36 (3.7) (10 Points) NCAA National Champion
Men's 4x100 Meter Relay Final - 1:11 p.m. ET/10:11 a.m. PT Kentucky - DNF Alex Williams Rondel Sorrillo Kwasi Obeng Sean Lange

Men's Final Team Standing 2. Florida - 55 6. LSU - 34 11. South Carolina - 20 13. Kentucky - 18 23. Alabama - 11 37. Auburn - 7 40. Georgia - 6 45. Tennessee - 5 45. Mississippi - 5
Women's Final Team Standing 3. Florida - 40 6. LSU - 31 12. Auburn - 23 15. Arkansas - 17 20. Alabama - 13 26. Georgia - 10 26. Tennessee - 10 41. Mississppi State - 5 51. Kentucky - 3 51. South Carolina - 3