May 26, 2007

Gainesville, Fla. - Ashlee Kidd placed third in the women's 400-meter finals with a personal-best time of 51.46 to lead the Georgia Tech track and field teams on day two of the NCAA East Region Championships at the James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track on the University of Florida campus.

Kidd was one of seven Jackets to earn a spot in the NCAA Championships field. Junior Shantia Moss crossed the line fourth with a time of 13.16 in the 100-meter hurdles to solidify her spot. Senior Fatmata Fofanah placed sixth in the hurdles, just missing the automatic bid for the championship meet. Fofanah will wait to see if her season-best time of 13.16 will be enough to earn an at-large bid.

Sophomore Kimery Hern also garnered a spot in the NCAA Championships after finishing fifth in the women's hammer throw with a mark of 189 feet, 4 inches. Freshman Samantha Musil placed seventh in the discus with a personal-best throw of 165 feet, 8 inches to just miss a guaranteed spot in the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore sprinter Jacqua Williams placed seventh in the 200-meter with a time of 23.95. She also crossed the line eighth in the finals of the 100-meter with a time of 11.88.

On the men's side, junior Jerome Miller cleared the high jump bar at a mark of 7 feet, 1 inch for a second-place finish and a trip to his second consecutive outdoor championship meet.

In the triple jump, senior James Lemons II landed at 52 feet, 1 ¾ inches to place third. In fifth place was freshman Alphonso Jordan, who finished with a mark of 50 feet, 11 ½ inches.

Redshirt freshman Steve Marcelle qualified for the Championships on Friday after placing fifth in the discus with a personal-best mark of 180 feet, 3 inches.

The qualifying Yellow Jackets will continue their season at the NCAA Championships on June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.