May 29, 2007

Mamona Qualifies for NCAAs, Leads Clemson at East Region Championships

Gainesville, FL - Patricia Mamona of Clemson's women's track & field team earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships next month after finishing in the top five of the triple jump Saturday at the East Region Championships. It will mark the first-ever NCAA national competition for the freshman from Lisbon, Portugal.

Clemson finished 21st in the team standings. Virginia Tech won the event with a total of 85 points. South Carolina (57) and Florida (49) rounded out the top three in the team race.

Clemson Men Finish Sixth at East Region Championships

Gainesville, FL - The men's track & field team accumulated 29 points and placed sixth at the NCAA East Region Championships on Saturday at the Percy Beard Track. The Tigers' 4x100m relay team earned an automatic bid to next month's NCAA Championships to highlight Clemson's action on the final day of competition. Also earning automatic bids this weekend from the men's program were George Fields in the long jump and Mitch Greeley in the pole vault.

Clemson's finish marked the fifth time in as many years of the regional format that the Tigers placed in the top six. The Tigers were fourth in 2003, 2004, and 2006. Clemson was fifth in 2005. Florida State captured the region crown with a total of 91 points, while Florida was runner-up with 56 points.

Wort Leads The Way As Duke Brings NCAA Qualifiers Total To Five

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The Duke women's outdoor track and field team had two more performers qualify for the NCAA Championships on Saturday at the NCAA East Regional in Gainesville, Fla. The team as a whole placed 10th at the meet with 26 points.

Women's: Senior Elizabeth Wort ran the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a Duke and NCAA East Regional record 9:52.34 on Saturday night in Gainesville. That mark was also a University of Florida track record and earned her Duke's first-ever regional outdoor title. It was only the second steeplechase of the season for Wort, as she battled injury throughout much of the spring.

Walter Dix Shatters Collegiate Record At NCAA East Region Championships

Gainesville, FL - The spectators at the NCAA East Region Championships witnessed history being made as Florida State's Walter Dix (Coral Springs, FL) smashed the collegiate record in the men's 200m after running 19.69. (The original record of 19.75 was set by Joe DeLoach of Houston nearly 20 years ago.)

The finals showcased three Seminoles including Dix, sophomore Michael Ray Garvin (Upper Saddle River, NJ) and freshman Charles Clark (Virginia Beach, VA) grabbing first, second and fourth, respectively. Clark ran a collegiate best 20.56 while Garvin matched his regional qualifying time of 20.70.

Miller One of Seven Jackets to Qualify for NCAA Championships

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.

Kidd One of Seven Jackets to Qualify for NCAA Championships

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.

Berger Second At NCAA East Regionals

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland track and field wrapped up the 2007 East Region Championships Saturday in Gainesville, Fla. Junior Dominic Berger and senior Adam Durham competed in the final for the men's 110-meter hurdles after advancing Friday with fourth- and seventh-place finishes respectively.

In the final on Saturday Berger took second with a time of 13.94 and Durham ran a career-best time of 14.03 for fifth place. Sophomore David Edwards-Brennan had a career-best mark in the men's high jump. Edwards-Brennan placed tenth overall with a career-best mark of 6-9 in the event.

Talley Leads Hurricanes at NCAA East Regional

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Junior Khadija Talley took second place in the finals of the discus Saturday to lead the University of Miami women's track and field team at the NCAA East Regional Championships Saturday at the University of Florida's James G. Pressley Stadium at Percy Beard Track.

Talley's second-place mark of 174-05 feet (53.17m) earned her an automatic berth into the NCAA National Championships held June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.

Harris Finishes Third at NCAA East Regional

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Junior Tim Harris of the University of Miami men's track and field team took third place in the finals of the 800-meters Saturday at the NCAA East Regionals to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA National Championships held in June.

Harris, who clocked the fastest time (1:48.50) during Friday's preliminary heats, finished third during Saturday's finals with a time of 1:48.34 at the University of Florida's James G. Pressley Stadium at Percy Beard Track.

Montague, Felnagle Give UNC Two Titles At NCAA East Regional

GAINSVILLE, Fla. --- Adam Montague claimed the javelin crown and Brie Felnagle won the women's 1,500 meters to lead the way for the University of North Carolina track and field teams Saturday at the NCAA East Regional at James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track on the campus of the University of Florida.

On his fourth attempt, Montague launched a career-best 242-4 effort to move to second on UNC's all-time list and set the nation's best mark this year. As well, Justin Ryncavage posted a 238-4 toss on his first throw in finishing second as the No. 13 Carolina men totaled 18 points in dominating the event. Montague narrowly missed Ryncavage's school-record 243-4 heave, which he set last year in winning the national championship.

NC State Track Advances Two More to NCAA Championships

Raleigh, N.C. - The NC State track and field teams added two more qualifiers for the NCAA Championships on the second day of competition at the NCAA East Regional Championships held at University of Florida this weekend. For the second straight year, Mitchell Pope will compete on the shot put at the NCAA Championships, and also today Tibor Vegh qualified in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. The Pack had four athletes qualify over the weekend, as yesterday Dexter Adams did in the long jump, and Julia Lucas did in the 5,000 meters.

Mitchell Pope continued his strong season, and he will once again look for All-American honors at the NCAA Championships. Pope placed second today in the shot put, with a top heave of 63'10.75".

Yemi Ayeni Hits 200 in the Discus, Advances to NCAA Championships

Virginia's Yemi Ayeni, who already holds the school record in the discus, became the first Cavalier in school history to hit 200 feet, throwing a 61.12m (200' 6") on his first throw of the competition. That throw stood up and Ayeni took second in the East Regional, earning him a ticket to the NCAA Championships in June in Sacramento. The ACC and IC4A Champion, Ayeni's throw ranks him eighth nationally and he is only the ninth person this season to throw 200 feet. He will compete in the shot put on Saturday.

Two Cavaliers qualified for the finals on Saturday as Kevin McHale advanced in the 1500m run with his 3:47.29; Kellen Blassingame also moved on to the finals of the 400m dash with his 46.59. Erin Crawford qualified for the finals of the 400 hurdles; she ranks ninth nationally. The top five finishers in each event earn a berth in the NCAA Championships that will be held at Sacramento State, June 6-9.

Jan Foerster Qualifies for NCAA Championships

Virginia steeplechasers Jan Foerster and Stephanie Garcia both moved up to the no. 3 spot all-time in Virginia history with their performances at the NCAA East Regional meet; Foerster finished second overall with his 8:44.74; Garcia finished eighth with her 10:15.83. Erin Crawford also finished in the top-eight, taking seventh in the 400 intermediate hurdles with her 58.97; she ranks in the top-10 in the nation in the event and is also expected to receive a bid to the NCAA meet, which will take place at Sacramento State June 6-9.

Kellen Blassingame just missed an automatic qualification with his sixth place finish in the 400m with his 46.38; Tomika Ferguson took tenth in the triple jump with her 41' 10". Kevin McHale finished 11th in the 1500m run with his 3:48.68. Final bids will be extended on May 29.

Virginia Tech's Women's track and field wins East Regional Championship

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Virginia Tech women's track and field team ran away with the NCAA East Region title Saturday evening, while the men placed ninth at the regional meet being held in James G. Perssly Stadium on the Percy Beard Track. The event, hosted by the University of Florida, determined the automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Championships. The national championship will to be held at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex in Sacramento Calif., on June 6-9, 2007.

On a day which saw one East Region meet record broken and two more school records come down, the Hokies qualified 10 more athletes to join the three from yesterday's qualifying events to head to Sacramento, while four will await confirmation of an at-large bid into the championship.

Deacon 4x400 Men's Relay Team Qualifies For NCAA Championships

The Wake Forest track and field teams were in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday for the second and final day of competition from the NCAA East Regional Championships. The men's 4x400-meter relay team joined senior Michelle Sikes as automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Track and Field Championships.

The top five finishers per event at the East Regionals automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships on June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif. After the automatic bids are established by the NCAA, the remaining field for the championships will be determined based upon the student-athlete's best mark of the season.