Date Posted: 6/7/2006

MACON, Ga. - Two of the A-Sun's top track and field performers will hit the national stage as ETSU senior James Rainer and Jacksonville rookie Natasha Harvey compete in the 100-dash and long jump respectively at the NCAA Championships, taking place June 7-10 in Sacramento, Calif..

Rainer will take on a talented 100-meter field, entering the meet as the 10th-fastest participant in the 27-athlete competition with a career-best mark of 10.16 seconds. Rainer, a four-time Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week, has had quite the senior campaign for the Bucs, leading the ETSU troops to the A-Sun Indoor Championships in February, with wins in both the 60- and 200-meter dashes on his way to being named Track Athlete of the Championship.

The senior also shined at the Outdoor Conference Championships, taking gold medals in both the 100 and 200, while also anchoring the 4x100-meter team to victory. The Alcoa, Tenn., native finished sixth in the NCAA Mid-East Regional Championships on May 27, clocking a time of 10.37 in the final round.

Rainer will begin competition at NCAAs with the 100 qualifying rounds, on Thursday at 3:50 p.m. PST. The competition continues on Thursday night, with the semi-finals kicking off at 5:35 p.m. PST. The 100 finals are set for Saturday, at 12:42 p.m. PST.

Harvey qualified for the championship at the NCAA East Regional on May 26 by recording a mark of 21'1.25" to place fourth in the long jump. Harvey's long jump success began at the Atlantic Sun Outdoor Track Championship on April 15.

At the meet, she set a school and outdoor championship record with a jump of 20'9" to earn "Most Outstanding Freshman Performer" honors. She would shatter the school record again the following week at the LSU Alumni Invitational by tallying a 20'10" to finish third in the long jump.

At the FSU Twilight, Harvey broke the school record for the third consecutive meet by recording one of the nation's best jumps at 21'5.25" to finish first. Her jump at the FSU Twilight leads the World Juniors list, while also ranking fifth among all U.S. women and 25th in the world. The mark is also tied for seventh all-time on the U.S. juniors list.

Harvey will begin her long jump qualifying on Wednesday at 4:15 p.m.

Related Links:
 • NCAA Coverage