University of Oregon
NCAA West Preliminary Rounds
Five Punch Tickets for NCAA Championships
05/27/11 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon advanced five competitors to the finals of the NCAA Track and Field Championships, and scores of Duck runners moved on to the quarterfinals of the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds Thursday before 6,381 at Hayward Field.
"We needed to focus on getting through without any issues, and we succeeded at doing that," said Oregon Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna.
Jamesha Youngblood was Oregon's first competitor to advance to the NCAA Championships June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa. She finished third in the long jump. The senior from San Pablo, Calif., took just one jump on Thursday, going 20-9.25/6.33m on her first attempt.
"I was hoping to get just one good jump in," said Youngblood, who will come back in the triple jump on Friday. "I got a bit more than that.
"Coming out here today I just wanted to be safe, finish on the board, and make it to nationals."
She was joined on the Ducks' championship roster by Alex Wolff, who unleashed a huge seasonal best in the men's javelin to finish fourth in the event. The sixth-year senior from Newberg, Ore., recorded a 10-foot best in 2011 on his second attempt, going 241-10/73.72m.
Also in the javelin, sophomore Michael Thompson was 29th with a throw of 196-8/59.95m and freshman Ethan Powell was 30th (196-8/59.94m).
The Ducks added a third national qualifier in the women's 10,000 meters when Bronwyn Crossman finished ninth in a personal-best 33:36.74. That was the seventh-fastest time in school history.
"Amazing," said the junior from Bellingham, Wash., who qualified for her first career NCAA Championships. "It's something. I knew I had a chance. I'm overwhelmed."
Luke Puskedra and Parker Stinson capped Oregon's successful night by claiming the last two spots for Des Moines in the men's 10,000 meters. Puskedra, a junior from Ogden, Utah, was 11th in a season-best 29:19.68, while Stinson, a freshman from Austin, Texas, was 12th in 29:20.89. Senior Danny Mercado just missed advancing, as he finished 13th in 29:20.89.
All three Duck women advanced in the 100 meters. English Gardner easily won heat one in 11.39 seconds. The freshman from Voorhees, N.J., got a quick start out of the blocks to take the early lead and coasted to the line for the win.
It was a Pac-10 battle in heat two as USC's Jessica Davis ran 11.32 to squeeze by Oregon junior Amber Purvis, who was second in 11.35. In heat three, Mandy White was an impressive second to Texas A&M's Jeneba Tarmoh. Tarmoh won in 11.46, while White, a senior from Lake Oswego, Ore., ran 11.60 to advance to Friday's final.
"That's so exciting," said Purvis of the trio of Duck qualifiers. "Not a lot of people expected that. But we've been proving ourselves all year so it's not a surprise to me at all."
Two Ducks advanced in the women's 1,500 meters. Top-seeded Jordan Hasay ran a conservative opening-round race before taking the lead with 300 meters remaining. The sophomore from Arroyo Grande, Calif., won in 4:24.03.
"First round of three for the weekend, first one of four for the whole thing," said Hasay, who now has the 1,500 and the 5,000 on her schedule for Saturday. "I'm glad to get one over with. It's very nerve-wracking, you might fall, trip or not be feeling well in the morning. Glad to get it over with.
"I just wanted to qualify and hold my breath until Saturday."
Sophomore Becca Friday also won her heat in 4:22.79 to automatically advance to Saturday's final. The sophomore from Bellingham, Wash., surged to the lead off the Bowerman Curve and edged Kristen Gillespie of Arkansas, who finished in 4:22.94.
Freshman Megan Patrignelli ran a personal-best 4:25.60 to finish eighth in heat three, but did not advance.
The men were also successful in advancing both runners in the 1,500 meters. Matthew Centrowitz was among the leaders throughout heat two and edged ahead at the finish line to win in 3:47.70. The junior from Arnold, Md., clipped Duncan Phillips of Arkansas, who was second in 3:47.99. Also in heat two, senior A.J. Acosta hung on to finish fifth in 3:48.89, meaning both Duck runners automatically advanced to Saturday's final.
Top-seeded Anne Kesselring and Laura Roesler moved on in the women's 800. Kesselring, a sophomore from Nurnberg, Germany, easily won her heat in 2:06.02 to advance to Friday's final. Roesler had to hold off a charge from Stephanie Brown of Arkansas to win her heat at the tape. The freshman from Fargo, N.D., crossed the line in 2:07.07 with Brown on her heels in 2:07.95. Freshman Phyllis Francis was seventh in her heat in 2:11.57 and did not advance.
Elijah Greer ran the top qualifying time in the men's 800 meters, winning heat five in 1:48.56. The sophomore from Lake Oswego, Ore., began to move up from the back of the pack with 300 meters left and then assumed the lead with 90 meters to go. Freshman Boru Guyota was fourth in his heat in 1:51.01. After NCAA officials determined his progress was impeded after his shoe came off when a competitor stepped on his foot on the last curve, the freshman from Ethiopia was advanced to Friday's quarterfinal.
Mike Berry closed with a strong final 100 meters to win his heat of the 400 meters and advance to Friday's final. The freshman from Seattle, Wash., timed 46.51.
"I just wanted to get out and run as hard as I could to get first place for a good seeding," said Berry.
In the women's 400 meters, freshman Chizoba Okodogbe was fourth in her heat in 54.38, but advanced on time to Friday's final. The freshman from Antioch, Calif., had the fastest time among the non-automatic qualifiers on Thursday. Senior Michele Williams was fifth in her heat in 55.74, while junior Camilla Dencer was seventh in her heat in 56.13. Neither advanced.
Vernell Warren finished 16th in the men's long jump with a best mark of 24-3.75/7.41m. The senior from Portland, Ore., missed advancing to Des Moines by two inches.
Sophomore Austin Ouderkirk cleared 16-6.75 in the men's pole vault to tie for 24th.
Washington's Kyle Nielson broke the Washington school record with a throw of 253-5/77.24m in the men's javelin.
-www.goducks.com-
Players Mentioned
