HBCU's qualify 15 for NCAA Division I
Track Championships
May 29, 2006
Eleven MEAC athletes and four athletes from the SWAC have
qualified for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships
based on performances at regional sites last weekend.
Southern University's Monica Robinson, Hampton's Yvette Lewis
and Jackson State's Michael Tinsley will compete in the nationals
as regional champions.
SWAC Long Jump Champion Robinson was crowned Mideast Regional
Champion in Knoxville with a leap of 6.40 Meters (21'0").
After winning the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championship in the women’s
triple jump, Lewis took one step closer to adding an outdoor
crown to her resume when she won the NCAA East Regional in
Greensboro with a meet record jump of 13.73m (45'.5").
Tinsley broke his previous Mideast Regional record in the
400m hurdles, setting a new mark of 48.63 and capturing the
championship title.
Joining the Regional Champions from the East Regional will
be Hampton's Kellie Wells, Terry Thornton and the 4x400m relay
team of Lester Caesar, Terrance Burton, Andrew Peresta and
Thornton. Other East Regional qualifiers were NC A&T's
Courtney Clark and Brandon Via, Howard's Lauren McNary and
Jacoby DuBose and Florida A&M's Chris Hargett.
Additional HBCU qualifiers from the Mideast Regional were
Alabama State's Arthur Hinton and Jackson State's Joel Williams.
Wells finished fifth in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.17.
this will be her second trip to the Championships after qulaifying
in 2004.
After struggling to an eighth place finishin the 110m hurdles,
Thornton placed fourth in the 400m hurdles to earn his second
trip to the finals in three years.
In the final event of the day, Thornton joined Lester Caesar,
Terrance Burton and Andrew Peresta to run what is believed
to be a school record 3:05.49 to finish third in the 4x400m
relay. It will be the first trip to the NCAA Championships
for Thornton's teammates.
Clark took advantage of familiar surroundings by finishing
fifth in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 58.98. Three
weeks ago she broke the A&T school record in the 400 meter
hurdles at the MEAC Outdoor Championships on the same track.
She and teammate Via, who finished third in the triple jump
with a leap of 16.04m will be making their first trip to the
nationals.
McNary earned her spot by finishing fourth in the 400m dash
while DuBose placed fifth in the 110m hurdles.
FAMU's Hargett was a double qualifier, finishing third in
the 100m dash (10.23) and fifth in the 200m dash (20.78).
JSU's Williams made the list by finishing fifth in the 800m
dash posting a time of 1:49.26.
Bama State's Hinton qualified when he tied for third place
in the high jump (5.5m).
The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Finals will be
held June 7-10 at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Sacramento
State in Sacramento,CA.
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