Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Macon, Ga. -- Recording the second-best leap in the nation, Jacksonville's Natasha Harvey provisionally qualified for the NCAA Regional with her distance of 20-9 in the long jump. Her mark earned her top collegiate honors at the Florida Intercollegiate on Saturday as well as her second career Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week Award, the league announced today.

The competition was the first for the sophomore physical education major since last competing at the 2006 World Junior Championships.

Harvey's leap of 20-9 (6.23m) surpassed the league's indoor record (19-01.25, 5.82m) by nearly 20 inches and equaled her record-setting jump from the 2006 A-Sun outdoor meet. Her performance ranks second in the nation behind Colorado State senior Janay DeLoach (21-00.75, 6.42m) and has provisionally qualified her to compete at the NCAA Regional.

The provisional qualification for Harvey is the first of the season for any A-Sun athlete.

Aside from the long jump, Harvey also garnered a sixth-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles (8.16) and established a new personal best with her toss of 38-03.50 (11.67m) in the shot put.

The Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week is announced every Wednesday during the 2007 indoor track season.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.