Results
ETSU's Seymour heading to NCAA Championships after breaking Bahamian Record
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A historic season continues for ETSU track and field senior Katrina Seymour as she automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400 meter hurdles after posting an ETSU and Bahamian National Record of 56.32 on Thursday.
Seymour becomes the first women's ETSU track and field athlete since Heidi Dahl in 2009 to advance to the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Championships will take play in Eugene, Ore., June 7 -10 at Historic Hayward Field.
Once again, Seymour's time broke an ETSU school record and also broke a Bahamian record set by Michelle Cumberbatch at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2010.
“Katrina never ceases to amaze me with an outstanding performance today,” said director of track and field/cross country George Watts. “We had no idea whether she could run following her injury at the conference meet, then to run a school record, personal best and Bahamian national record is mind boggling.”
“Athletic Trainer Nathan Barger worked hard to help her get as healthy as possible and congrats to Coach Stamps for getting Katrina ready to compete and on to Eugene.”
In the third heat of the quarterfinals, Seymour placed third to automatically qualify for the national championships. Overall, Seymour recorded the fourth fastest time, with the two of the top five times coming from her heat.
This is the second straight year that ETSU will be represented in Eugene, Ore., as senior Michael Williams advanced a season ago in the 400mH. Seymour is the first female athlete to do so since Dahl in 2009.
The semifinal of the 400mH at the NCAA Championships will take place on Thursday, June 8 at 9:30 p.m., and can be watched live on ESPN.
Sophomore Kyra Atkins ran in the first round of 100mH where she placed 29th overall with a time of 13.58. In her heat, Atkins finished seventh and this season Atkins won her second straight SoCon 100mH title.
In his fourth straight NCAA East Prelim appearance, senior Brett Squibbs made his first vault of 4.85m of the day but was unable to advance after not clearing the next height.
Squibbs ends his ETSU career as a two-time pole vault conference champion in both the Atlantic Sun and Southern Conference.
In the final event of the night, junior Simeon Roberts finished 23rd overall with a time of 9:08.13. It was Roberts first NCAA East Prelim appearance.
Furman's Reeder Punches Ticket to NCAA Championship in 3,000m Steeplechase
Louisville, Ky. – Junior Troy Reeder won his heat and placed eighth overall Friday in the quarterfinals of the men's 3,000m Steeplechase to qualify automatically for the NCAA Championship in the second day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships East Preliminaries, which are being hosted by the University of Kentucky, in Louisville, Ky.
Reeder, a native of Fishers, Ind., recorded a time of 8:44.48 to take first in his heat and advance to the semifinals, which will be held June 7 in Eugene, Ore. He entered the event with the top time in the East, 8:40.57, which he posted at the Stanford Invitational in March to qualify. Reeder holds the Furman record of 8:36.51 in the event.
Freshman Gabrielle Jennings, a native of Sidell, La., finished sixth in her heat and 18th overall with a time of 10:15.12 in the women's 3,000m Steeplechase, knocking 10 seconds off her personal best. Jennings, who posted a time of 10:25.02 in the event at the Raleigh Relays to qualify, entered the event ranked 41st in the East but moved up 23 spots in the preliminaries.
The meet will conclude on Saturday, with Furman competing in the women's and men's 5,000m and the men's 1,500m.
The women's 5,000m semifinal will begin at 8:05 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the men's race at 8:45 p.m. On the women's side, junior Allie Buchalski and freshman Savannah Carnahan will represent the Paladins. Buchalski, who hails from Johns Creek, Ga., leads the East with a time of 15:35.55 in the 5,000m, a new Paladin record which she set in March at the Raleigh Relays. Carnahan, a native of Cumming, Ga., ranks 43rd in the East with a time of 16:21.18, which she posted at the Virginia Challenge in April.
A native of Dana Point, Calif., freshman Mason Coppi notched a time of 14:10.60 in the 5,000m at the Virginia Challenge to qualify for the prelims.
Sophomore Ryan Adams placed tenth on Thursday in the first round of the men's 1,500m to advance to Saturday's quarterfinals. Adams, who hails from Hudson, Ohio, finished second in his heat of the 1,500m with a time of 3:50.37 to qualify automatically for the quarterfinal round, which is slated for 6:45 p.m. on Saturday. He entered the event ranked 15th in the East with a top time of 3:42.90 this season. The Paladin record holder with a time of 3:42.25, he notched his qualifying time at the Raleigh Relays in March.
Also on Thursday, junior Frank Lara finished 11th in the semifinals of the 10,000m to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships. Lara, who hails from Houston, Texas, ran at the front of the pack throughout the 10,000m, posting a time of 30:04.28 to advance to the finals, which will be held June 7. Junior Josh Brickell finished 16th, just four spots shy of the cut, with a time of 30:24.20, while junior Tanner Hinkle, who holds the Paladin record of 29:15.99 in the event, crossed the line in 30:42.99 to take 23rd place.
The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Eugene, Ore., June 7-10.
Samford at NCAA East Regionals - Details to follow.