DURHAM, N.C. (June 3) -- Bolstered by two individual national championships, the University of Arizona men's track and field team finished sixth at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships which concluded on June 3.

The Wildcats picked up 20 of their 26 points yesterday as senior Esko Mikkola and junior Patrick Nduwimana won the NCAA javelin and 800m individual titles, respectively. Senior Jeff Dutoit finished third in Thursday's pole vault to score Arizona's other six points, as the Wildcats did not have any men on the final day of the competition.

The Arizona women's team scored 12 points and finished tied for 19th with Georgia and California. Nine of the team's 12 points came today as senior Carolyn Jackson and sophomore Brianna Glenn scored in 400m and 100m, respectively. Junior Andrea Neary finished sixth in the pole vault yesterday to score three points.

Stanford won the men's title with 72 points, and Arkansas was second with 59 points. Louisiana State won the women's title with 59 points, while Southern California was second with 56.

"I don't think that we could have asked for much more," said UA director of track and field Dave Murray. "We came into the meet thinking that we had a chance to be in the top-10 on the men's side, but we really competed at our highest level and exceeded some expectations.

"We had a lot of great individual performances, especially with the titles from Esko and Patrick. I am very proud of all of our kids for the jobs that they did this season, and for the ones who did the job here at the NCAA meet."

The Wildcats entered the day in third place with 26 points. Since the team had no competitors left, it was hoping to stay in the top-10. However, the cards all fell Arizona's way, as the Wildcats edged Southern California and Alabama, who tied for seventh with 25 points, and Baylor, which was ninth with 24.

Competing in her final event as a collegian, Jackson earned the fifth All-America honors of her career. She finished fifth in the 400m, clocking a time of 52.58 seconds. South Carolina's Mikele Barber won the meet in 51.14, while her teammate Demetria Washington ran 51.82 to finish second.

Glenn achieved her highest finish at a NCAA Championship event as she finished fourth in the 100m. She ran 11.47 into a slight headwind to earn the third All-America honors of her career. Southern California's Angela Williams ran 11.12 to successfully defend her title, Louisiana State's Peta-Gaye Dowdie ran 11.23 to finish second, and Florida State's Tonya Carter ran 11.30 to finish third.

The Wildcats brought 11 athletes to the meet, and seven will return to Tucson as All-Americans. Senior Nicole Thomas (400m hurdles) and Neary earned honors for the first time. Dutoit (four), Glenn (three), Jackson (five), Mikkola (three) and Nduwimana (three) were repeat honorees.

The sixth-place finish by the men's team ties for its second-best finish ever at an NCAA meet. The team tied for fourth in 1998 and was sixth in 1984. Arizona also improved on its 14th place finish last year, as well.

The women's team improved greatly from its 66th place finish when they scored only one point. It was their highest finish since placing 11th at the 1998 meet in Buffalo, N.Y.