Photo by: Liz Parke
NCAA East Prelims Await Mountaineers
May 22, 2019 11:35 AM | Track & Field
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Four members of the West Virginia University track and field team travel to the 2019 NCAA East Preliminary Round, from May 23-25, in Jacksonville, Florida.
Redshirt seniors Madelin Gardner and Shamoya McNeil, as well as redshirt junior Olivia Hill and redshirt freshman Hayley Jackson are set to represent the Mountaineers at the three-day, regional meet at North Florida's Hodges Stadium. The event commences on Thursday, May 23, at 12 p.m. ET.
On Thursday, Jackson competes in the 1,500 meters first round at 5:30 p.m., before Hill races in the 10,000 meters semifinal at 9 p.m. Gardner is set to compete in the pole vault first round on Friday at 5 p.m., while McNeil takes on the triple jump first round on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Additionally, the 1,500 meters quarterfinal is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. To qualify, Jackson must finish in the top five of her heat in Thursday's first round or register one of the next four fastest times out of the four total heats.
Fans can follow along with the Mountaineers all weekend long by visiting the meet's live results, presented by NCAA.com. FloSports also will provide live coverage of all three days of the meet at FloTrack.org.
"We're excited for this opportunity this week," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "Any time an athlete qualifies for an NCAA Championships meet, it's a special accomplishment. We're fortunate to have several ladies who have been to this stage before and know what it's all about. We're simply looking to provide our best effort and put ourselves in position to have some advance to Austin in June."
The four qualified Mountaineers ranked in the top 48 of the NCAA East Region in their respective events to earn entry into the meet. Qualifiers out of the East and West Regions who place in the top 12 in their events will advance to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, from June 5-8, in Austin, Texas.
McNeil is set to make her fourth career appearance at the East Prelims, while Gardner will compete at the event for the third consecutive season. Hill also qualified for the meet last season, while Jackson will make her regional debut.
Following her breakthrough weekend at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, from May 10-12, in Norman, Oklahoma, Jackson is set to compete in the 1,500 meters in Jacksonville. The Lusby, Maryland, native tallied a career-best 4:19.69 in the event final at the conference meet, earning a second-place finish. The time ranks No. 20 in the region entering the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
Hill ran a career-best time of 34:28.43 in the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational, on March 29, in Stanford, California, good for No. 40 in the region. Last season, the Scott Depot, West Virginia, native finished 29th in the event at the East Prelims, crossing the finish line in 35:51.37.
Hill is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 meet after crossing the finish line in 35:06.32.
Gardner enters the event seeded No. 2 in the region in the pole vault with a top mark of 4.47 meters (14 feet, 8 inches) at the Virginia Challenge, on April 20, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The mark was good for an outdoor school record and the highest regular-season jump in the Big 12 since 2014.
The three-time All-American claimed the silver medal at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, jumping 4.27 meters (14 feet). At last year's East Prelims, Gardner took 12th place with a mark of 4.18 meters (13 feet, 8.5 inches), enough to advance to the NCAA Championships.
McNeil ranks No. 26 in the NCAA East Region in the triple jump. The 2017 All-America Third Team selection qualified for this year's regional meet after recording a season-best mark of 12.79 meters (41 meet, 11.5 inches) at the State Farm Friends of Track and Field Mountaineer Showcase, on April 27, in Morgantown.
The Portland, Jamaica, native previously competed at the NCAA East Prelims in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
West Virginia last competed at the Big 12 Championship, earning five trips to the podium in four events. WVU also combined for nine personal-best performances at the meet.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Redshirt seniors Madelin Gardner and Shamoya McNeil, as well as redshirt junior Olivia Hill and redshirt freshman Hayley Jackson are set to represent the Mountaineers at the three-day, regional meet at North Florida's Hodges Stadium. The event commences on Thursday, May 23, at 12 p.m. ET.
On Thursday, Jackson competes in the 1,500 meters first round at 5:30 p.m., before Hill races in the 10,000 meters semifinal at 9 p.m. Gardner is set to compete in the pole vault first round on Friday at 5 p.m., while McNeil takes on the triple jump first round on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Additionally, the 1,500 meters quarterfinal is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. To qualify, Jackson must finish in the top five of her heat in Thursday's first round or register one of the next four fastest times out of the four total heats.
Fans can follow along with the Mountaineers all weekend long by visiting the meet's live results, presented by NCAA.com. FloSports also will provide live coverage of all three days of the meet at FloTrack.org.
"We're excited for this opportunity this week," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "Any time an athlete qualifies for an NCAA Championships meet, it's a special accomplishment. We're fortunate to have several ladies who have been to this stage before and know what it's all about. We're simply looking to provide our best effort and put ourselves in position to have some advance to Austin in June."
The four qualified Mountaineers ranked in the top 48 of the NCAA East Region in their respective events to earn entry into the meet. Qualifiers out of the East and West Regions who place in the top 12 in their events will advance to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, from June 5-8, in Austin, Texas.
McNeil is set to make her fourth career appearance at the East Prelims, while Gardner will compete at the event for the third consecutive season. Hill also qualified for the meet last season, while Jackson will make her regional debut.
Following her breakthrough weekend at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, from May 10-12, in Norman, Oklahoma, Jackson is set to compete in the 1,500 meters in Jacksonville. The Lusby, Maryland, native tallied a career-best 4:19.69 in the event final at the conference meet, earning a second-place finish. The time ranks No. 20 in the region entering the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
Hill ran a career-best time of 34:28.43 in the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational, on March 29, in Stanford, California, good for No. 40 in the region. Last season, the Scott Depot, West Virginia, native finished 29th in the event at the East Prelims, crossing the finish line in 35:51.37.
Hill is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 meet after crossing the finish line in 35:06.32.
Gardner enters the event seeded No. 2 in the region in the pole vault with a top mark of 4.47 meters (14 feet, 8 inches) at the Virginia Challenge, on April 20, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The mark was good for an outdoor school record and the highest regular-season jump in the Big 12 since 2014.
The three-time All-American claimed the silver medal at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, jumping 4.27 meters (14 feet). At last year's East Prelims, Gardner took 12th place with a mark of 4.18 meters (13 feet, 8.5 inches), enough to advance to the NCAA Championships.
McNeil ranks No. 26 in the NCAA East Region in the triple jump. The 2017 All-America Third Team selection qualified for this year's regional meet after recording a season-best mark of 12.79 meters (41 meet, 11.5 inches) at the State Farm Friends of Track and Field Mountaineer Showcase, on April 27, in Morgantown.
The Portland, Jamaica, native previously competed at the NCAA East Prelims in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
West Virginia last competed at the Big 12 Championship, earning five trips to the podium in four events. WVU also combined for nine personal-best performances at the meet.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Track & Field
Jumps
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