de>Katie Cavanaugh ’16 and Katie McCoubrie ’16 started their track and field journey at Gettysburg College and ended it together on the biggest stage – the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. The duo peaked at the right time during the season to help secure their spots at nationals.
Cavanaugh closed out her astonishing career in the Orange and Blue as she earned her second All-American honor, placing sixth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.40. While it was her fifth appearance on the national stage, it served as the most memorable.
“Honestly, it may have been even more special than the first,” noted Cavanaugh. “It was really the first time I got to go with one of my best friends and having that support was so different from being there by yourself. The coaches are such a great support system, but there is no one like your teammates. It was a whole different experience.”
McCoubrie also had a remarkable career at Gettysburg as she embarked on her first NCAA trip during the 2016 indoor season and clinched a spot again in the outdoor campaign. She placed ninth at the outdoor meet, capturing a school and Centennial Conference mark of 38-9.
“It was an awesome experience,” said McCoubrie when reflecting on her NCAA experience. “I was there to enjoy my last track meet, and did better than I expected and seeded. To come in and have my last meet be one of my best with two good teammates by my side was awesome.”
Check out the interview with the dynamic duo as they reflected on their NCAA journey by pressing the play button above and keep reading to see the original release from that memorable day.
Original Release May 28, 2016
Credit: Braden Snyder, Director of Athletic Communications
WAVERLY, Iowa Seniors Katie Cavanaugh (East Rockaway, N.Y./Kellenberg) and Katie McCoubrie (Malvern, Pa./Conestoga) closed out their track and field careers with an exclamation point on Saturday at the NCAA Division III Championships at Wartburg College.
Cavanaugh claimed her second All-America title, placing sixth in the final of the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.40 seconds. McCoubrie broke the school and the Centennial Conference record in the triple jump and came within three-and-a-half inches of gaining All-America honors, finishing ninth with a mark of 38 feet, nine inches.
Cavanaugh, who also placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships this past winter, becomes the third multiple All-American in program history, joining Beth Castagno ’98, a two-time All-America high jumper, and Stacy Spencer ’95, a four-time All-America sprinter. After placing seventh in Friday’s preliminaries, Cavanaugh drew Lane 1 for the final.
“I had never felt so fast coming out of the blocks and had a really good first six hurdles,” said Cavanaugh. “Unfortunately, I came up a little too quickly on hurdle seven and hit it pretty hard. That being said, I’m walking away from my college track career with four school records, two Centennial Conference records, six national qualifications, two All-America finishes, and some of the greatest friends in the entire world. I can’t stop smiling and wouldn’t change a thing!”
McCoubrie entered the meet seeded 19th among 22 national qualifiers, having jumped a season-best 38-3 1/2. She wasted little time improving upon that mark, leaping to her record on her first jump of the day. It held up as her best jump of prelims, and she captured the ninth and final spot in the final.
Though she was unable to improve upon her mark over her final three jumps, McCoubrie posted the second-best mark of her career on her second attempt with a 38-4 1/4 effort.
The previous school record of 38-8 1/4 was set by Vanessa Pabon ’10 in 2009. Pabon also shared the former Centennial Conference record with Swarthmore’s Desiree Peterkin (1998) and Catherine Laine (1997).
“It was incredible to have my best performance at the national championship meet during my last competition ever,” said McCoubrie. “All of my jumps were some of my best ever, and it was amazing to compete with the other girls in the field. I feel very luck ty to have had such a great end to my Gettysburg track and field career with the best teammates and coaches!”
It was an all-around successful meet for Gettysburg, as all three of the team’s qualifiers broke the top-nine. On the opening day of the meet on Thursday, senior Andre Hinds ’16 also claimed All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the men’s discus.
Cavanaugh and McCoubrie finish their careers as two of the most decorated track and field athletes in program history. Cavanaugh walks away as a six-time Centennial Conference champion, a school record-holder in four events (indoor: 55m hurdles, 8.30; 60m hurdles, 8.80; 60m dash, 7.99; outdoor: 100m hurdles, 14.04), and a conference record-holder in two events (indoor: 60m hurdles; outdoor: 100m hurdles). McCoubrie racked up and incredible 12 Centennial Conference titles and finishes as the school record-holder in both the indoor (38-2) and outdoor triple jump.
NCAA Div. III Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship 100m Hurdles Final
1. Melanie Winters, Baldwin-Wallace, 13.78
2. Madison Renfro, North Central, 13.94
3. Claire Gordee, Wisconsin-La Crosse, 14.17
4. Jordin Fender, Transylvania, 14.29
5. Taylor Sherry, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 14.31
6. Katie Cavanaugh, Gettysburg, 14.40
7. Allison Hill, Bates, 14.48
8. Sara Johnson, Ohio Wesleyan, 14.60
Triple Jump Final
1. Bria Halama, Wisconsin La Crosse, 42-2 1/4
2. Alexa Wandy, SUNY Geneseo, 41-5 1/4
3. Jill Harmon, Illinois Wesleyan, 40-9 3/4
4. Amber Williams, Wisconsin-Platteville, 40-3 1/4
5. Amanda Hamilton, Cal Lutheran, 40-2
6. Kristen Trice, Bridgewater (Va.), 39-6
7. Chloe Rogers, Williams, 39-1 3/4
8. Sally Ceesay, Bates, 39- 1/2
9. Katie McCoubrie, Gettysburg, 38-9
10. Britney Sullivan, Trinity (Texas), 38-7 1/2
11. Jerica Kotarak, Milwaukee School of Engineering, 38-4 1/4
12. Dakota Buhler, George Fox, 38-4 1/4
13. Victoria Amadi, Hendrix, 38-3 1/2
14. Katherine Krupp, Bowdoin, 38-1 1/2
15. Marissa Wustrak, Wisconsin-La Crosse, 38-1 1/2
16. Candice Dyce, Williams, 38- 1/4
17. Kayla Brase, Whitworth, 37-10 3/4
18. Grace Ryan, Ithaca, 37-1 1/4
19. Stephanie Frempong-Long, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 36-5 1/2
20. Alissa Sellers, Juniata, 35-4 1/2
21. Sarah Wiatr, Utica, no mark
22. Arielle Shaw, Oglethorpe, no mark
This story was originally posted on the Gettysburg College Website.