Two Records and Nine Qualifiers for KU Track and Field
April 12, 2008
Two Records and Nine Qualifiers for KU Track and Field<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>NORMAN, Okla. – Senior hurdler Ashley Brown tied her school record in the 100-meter hurdles, junior Nickesha Anderson set a meet record with an NCAA-leading time in the 200-meter dash and nine more regional qualifying times were achieved by the University of Kansas track and field teams this weekend at the John Jacobs Invitational. The Jayhawks will now turn their attention toward the Kansas Relays as they play host to the 81st edition of the meet at Memorial Stadium, April 16-19.
Brown sprinted to a second-place finish of 13.27 in the 100 hurdles to match her performance from last year’s Big 12 Championships. It improved the Overton, Neb., native’s regional qualifying mark and currently stands as the second-best time in the region.
In her outdoor debut as a Jayhawk, Anderson broke Aleen Bailey’s (BartonCounty) seven-year-old meet record in winning the 200 meters with a finish of 23.07. It is the best time in the country this year and the second-best time in school history behind Lori Green-Jones’ 23.0 finish at the Husker Invitational in 1981. In the same race, junior Victoria Howard also qualified for the NCAA Regionals with a third-place finish of 23.75.
In the women’s long jump, Crystal Manning bested former KU great Charisse Bacchus to win the event. Her opening jump of 6.29 meters (20-07.72 ft.) was just enough to top her former teammate’s second-place jump of 6.27 meters (20-07 ft.). In her first long jump competition of the year, Manning now ranks fifth all-time at KU with that jump. Bacchus’ leap at the 2006 NCAA Championships still ranks second in Kansas history.
A pair of women’s pole vaulters also posted regional marks in Norman. Senior Libby Harmon and freshman Julia Cummings each cleared 3.85 meters (12 feet, 7 ½ inches) on their final attempts to finish in a tie for fourth and match the regional standard.
Senior Alicia McGregor won the 3,000-meter run with freshman Kara Windisch placing second and senior Hayley Harbert taking fourth for the Jayhawks. McGregor won at a time of 10:09.52. Windisch finished with an effort of 10:15.76, while Harbert came in at 10:19.61. In the men’s 3,000 meters, senior Patrick McGowan (8:56.22) was third with freshman Nick Caprario (8:56.75) placing fourth.
Senior Julius Jiles was third in the 110-meter hurdles with a finish of 14:10. The men’s 1,600-meter relay team also finished third. The squad finished just behind the qualifying time. Their finish of 3:12.63 was just over two seconds from the regional mark.
At the University of Georgia, Kansas’ throwers found equal success. Senior Egor Agafonov won the hammer throw in his season debut while junior Zlata Tarasova finished second in the women’s portion of the event. Each finished with an NCAA regional qualifying toss as Tarasova had an early season-best of 55.45 meters (181-11 ft.), while Agafonov launched the hammer 67.03 meters (219-11 ft.).
The Kansas Relays begin Wednesday, April 16 and conclude Saturday, April 19. Admission into the meet will be allowed only by those people wearing a 2008 Kansas Relays button. Buttons will cost $10 for adults and are good for admission for all four days of the Kansas Relays. Children under the age of five and KU students are free. A 30% group discount will be applied to all orders of 20 or more adult Kansas Relays admission buttons. Discount buttons for Senior Citizens and all students with a valid ID are $5. A Kansas Relays Family Pack consisting of two adult and two student admissions will be offered for just $20.
Contact the Kansas Athletics ticket office at 800-34-HAWKS (2957) or go to http://kuathletics.collegesports.com/tickets/kan-tickets.html to purchase admission buttons.
