Nationally Ranked Jayhawk Track And Field Teams Head To 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships--West Preliminary
May 24, 2010
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Meet Notes
2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships–West Preliminary Schedule of Events
Coach Whittlesey Gets Ready For West Prelims
Kansas’ men’s and women’s track and field teams will travel to Austin, Texas May 27-29 for the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships–West Preliminary held at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.
The NCAA has implemented a new process for qualification into the 2010 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Hard-line qualifying standards will no longer be used for entry into a regional meet. Instead of a four-region system, all schools in Division I track and field will be categorized into either the East or West region. There will be two preliminary sites for the 2010 NCAA Championships based on these regions. Kansas will compete in the West region in Austin, Texas May 27-29.
In order to qualify for this meet, which is technically the first round of the championships, an athlete must be among the top 48 per region in the individual event in which they declare, while the top 24 relays per region, that declare, will compete at the preliminary site. The caveat to this rule would be for the heptathlon/decathlon events. The top 24 overall that declare for the combined events will contest at the national-final site in Eugene, Ore. Therefore, the season will be somewhat of a constant “scoreboard watch” of the top 48 individual times/marks recorded in each region, and the top 24 relay times per region.
Some events, like the sprints and up to the 1500m will have four rounds as part of the national championship: two contested at the preliminary sites and two at the finals site. Some events contest one round at the prelim site, and two at the finals site. Every round will have a “national” component to its title since this is essentially one big meet. Advancement through the rounds will be determined on placement in the round in question and not on prior performances during the season.
The Jayhawks enter the meet ranked 19th in the country on the men’s side and 25th in the national rankings on the women’s side. KU, which recently finished eighth on the men’s side and seventh on the women’s side at the 2010 Big 12 Outdoor Championships, is sending a total of 30 athletes to the meet, 15 men and 15 women.
Junior pole vaulter Jordan Scott and freshman thrower Mason Finley will spearhead the KU men’s team’s effort in Austin. Scott has won three-straight Big 12 outdoor titles and currently is tied for first in the NCAA with his height of 18-8.75. Finley enters the meet ranked second in the region in the shot put and third in the discus. He won titles in both events at the 2010 Big 12 Outdoor Championships and was recently named the Big 12 Male Outstanding Freshman of the Year.
Additionally on the men’s side, Brian Bishop is ranked 11th in the region in the discus and Kyle Clemons is ranked 15th in the 400 meters, while Keith Hayes is ranked 16th in the 110-meter hurdles and Eric Fattig has the 18th best mark in the long jump. The KU men’s 4×400-meter relay team composed of Clemons, Hayes, Reggie Carter and Keron Toussaint arrives in Austin with the ninth best time.
On the women’s side, KU will look to freshmen Andrea Geubelle and Alena Krechyk in the field and Lauren Bonds and Rebeka Stowe on the track to guide the Jayhawks.
Geubelle enters the meet ranked second in the region in the triple jump with her mark of 43-11.25. Geubelle finished second at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships in both the triple jump and the long jump where she ranks 24th in the region. Krechyk took home the Big 12 title in the hammer throw and ranks first in the region and third overall in the NCAA entering the meet with her mark of 211-10.
Bonds enters the NCAA Outdoor Championships–West Preliminary fresh off claiming her first conference title in the 1,500 meters. She heads to Austin with the nation’s sixth best time having clocked in at 4:17.27 this season. Stowe ranks third in the West Region in the 3,000 meters steeplechase entering the meet. She ran a personal best and KU record 10:03.41 in her last outing.
Other notable Jayhawk women entered in the meet are Taissa Makhmayeva (14th, 400m hurdles), Heather Bergmann (22nd, javelin), Taylor Washington (29th, 400 meters) and the 4×400-meter relay team composed of Washington, Makhmayeva, Kendra Bradley and Denesha Morris.
The 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships-West Preliminary will kick-off Thursday, May 27 with the men’s javelin qualifying and will conclude Saturday, May 29 with the running of the 4×400 meter relays.
KU Men’s NCAA Championships-West Preliminary Lineup
Brian Bishop (discus)
Reggie Carter (400m, 4x400m)
Kyle Clemons (400m, 4x400m)
Eric Fattig (long jump)
Mason Finley (shot put, discus)
Corey Fuller (triple jump)
Keith Hayes (110m hurdles, 4x400m)
Ryan Hays (pole vault)
Lawson Montgomery (110m hurdles)
Keyen Porter (110m hurdles)
Jarrell Rollins (4x400m)
Jordan Scott (pole vault)
Keron Toussaint (4x400m)
Iain Trimble (javelin)
Darryl Trotter (triple jump)
KU Women’s NCAA Championships-West Preliminary Lineup
Heather Bergmann (javelin)
Lauren Bonds (1,500m)
Kendra Bradley (4x400m)
Cori Christensen (800m)
Julia Cummings (pole vault)
Andrea Geubelle (long jump, triple jump)
Alena Krechyk (hammer throw)
Taissa Makhamayva (400m hurdles, 4x400m)
Allie Marquis (10,000m)
Amanda Miller (5,000m)
Denesha Morris (4x400m)
Rebeka Stowe (3,000m steeplechase)
Taylor Washington (400m, 4x400m)
Micah Wesley (shot put)
Shayla Wilson (4x400m)
