Thursday, May 26, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Five Atlantic Sun Conference student-athletes advanced on the first day of competition at the NCAA East Preliminary Round meet hosted by Indiana University at Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex.

Kennesaw State’s Joshua McNair advanced to the finals of the shot put after a school record-breaking heave of 17.85 meters. The senior recorded the top throw of his flight and finished 11th overall. The top-12 finishers at the two preliminary sites move on to the NCAA National Championships.

UNF freshman standout Brianna Frazier (16th | 54.88) reached the quarterfinals of the 400-meter dash along with Jacksonville’s Danielle Davenport, the Most Outstanding Track Performer from the A-Sun Championship (17th | 54.97) and Unique Singleton (19th | 54.38). Frazier and Davenport each advanced after finishing among the top-three competitors in their individual heat while Singleton earned her spot by posting the fastest time among those not in the top-three of their heat. Twenty-four total runners will contest the quarterfinals on Friday evening at 5:30pm with half the field advancing to Nationals. Bienna Freeman earned a spot in the 800-meter run quarterfinals with her time of 2:08.21 for the Dolphins. That event will begin at 6:30pm on Friday as well with the same advancement procedures.

Other student-athletes competing on the first day of the preliminaries but not advancing included Kennesaw State’s Joshua James (400-meter hurdles | 45th | 54.49), Mackenzie Howe (10,000-meter run | 21st | 34:13.69) and Gianni Catalano (800-meter run | 38th | 1:52.90), UNF’s Cameron Dickerson (1500-meter run | 44th | 4:01.38) and Shelby Kittrell (10,000-meter run | 29th | 34:34.82), Campbell’s Rashad Campbell (100-meter dash | 40th | 10.84) and Diego Lawrence (Long Jump | 18th | 7.31m), Jacksonville’s Joane Pierre (800-meter run | 44th | 2:14.48), ETSU’s Emani Harrison (100-meter dash | 44th | 12.09), Jasmine Ingram (400-meter dash | 32nd | 55.81) and Ifrish Alberg (100-meter dash | 46th | 10.93).

Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa will host the NCAA National Championships on June 8-11.