Notes From the NCAA Mideast Regional
5/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
May 25, 2007
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Stadium Records
- Men's Hammer: Cory Martin of Auburn (226-7, 71.42m). Previous record held by Kansas' Scott Russell (66.57m).
- Women's High Jump: Miruna Mataoanu of Alabama (6-2.75, 1.90m). Previous record held by Iowa State's Gina Curtis (6-1.5, 1.87m).
- Men's 4 x100-meter relay
- Men's 800-meter: Andew Ellerton of Michigan (1:47.43). Previous record held by Missouri's Derrick Peterson (1:47.68).
- Women's 800-meter: Katie Erdman of Michigan (2:01.25). Previous record held by Missouri's Ashley Wysong (2:03.60).
- Women's 5000-meter: Molly Huddle of Notre Dame (16:.02.56). Previous record held by Colorado's Sara Gorton (16:11.83).
Mideast Records
- Men's Hammer Throw: Cory Martin of Auburn (226-7, 71.42m). Previous record held by Ohio State's Dan Taylor (68.18m).
- Women's High Jump: Miruna Mataoanu of Alabama (6-2.75, 1.90m). Previous record held by Alabama's Miruna Mataoanu (1.87m).
- Men's 1500m-meter: Jake Watson of Notre Dame (3:43.90). Previous record held by Arkansas' Adam Perkins (3:44.53).
- Women's 800-meter: Katie Erdman of Michigan (2:01.25). Previous record held by Mississippi State's Tiffany McWilliams (2:02.27).
- Women's 5000-meter: Molly Huddle of Notre Dame (16:.02.56). Previous record held by Notre Dame's Molly Huddle (16:12.42).
Men's Hammer Throw
Auburn's Cory Martin beat 34 other competitors in the men's hammer throw and eclipsed Audrey J. Walton Stadium and Mideast Regional records in the process with his throw of 226-6 (69.06m). Martin entered the meet as the top hurler in the NCAA with his qualifying toss of 243-3 (71.42m). Recorded at the SEC Championships May 11, that throw has Martin in fifth place on the current USA Track and Field performance lists. Joining Martin in the NCAA Outdoor Championhips will be teammate Jake Dunkleberger, Kent State's Andy Nicholas, Memphis' Steffen Nerdal and Kent State's Jaroslaw Zakrewski. Dunkleberger, a four-time All-American, and Nerdal, the Conference USA champion, had personal best throws; Nicholas was third a year ago.
Women's High Jump
Alabama senior Mira Mataoanu defended her 2006 Mideast Regional championship with a jump of 6-2.75(1.90m). Mataoanu's jump eclipsed the Audrey J. Walton Stadiums record and her own Mideast Regional record; it was also an Alabama school record. A year ago in Knoxville, Tenn., Mataoanu's jump of 6-1.5 (1.87m) set the Mideast Record and beat runner-up Natalie Sako of Akron by 4.25 inches. Mataoanu's jump of 1.90 meters today is good for third in the NCAA this season. Auburn's Raeven Harris jumped 1.87m, briefly setting a Walton Stadium record, before missing all three attempts at 1.90m and settling for second. Harris was third at the SEC Championships two weeks ago. Michigan's Bettie Wade (Big 10 champion), LSU's Shaunette Davidon and Cincinatti' Renee Hein (Big East champion) placed third, fourth and fifth respectively and automatically qualify for nationals.
Women's Shot Put
Memphis senior Gail Lee came into the Mideast Regional seeded second, but she leaves as the Regional champion after tossing a throw of 53-01.75 (16.20m) on her first attempt and holding off Missouri's Krishna Lee, Western Michigan's Kristalyn Mauch, Northern Illinois' Ashley Morrow and Purdue's Stacey Wannemacher. Lee hurled a personal best and came into the field seeded 12th.
Men's Pole Vault
Two freshmen took the top two spots in the men's pole vault in a field that included reigning indoor national champion Brad Gebauer of McNeese State. Kent State freshman Jeremy Brading was the only athlete to clear 17-1. Brad Gebauer decided to pass on 16-7.25, but failed to clear 17-1. As a result, Illinois freshman Andrew Zollner took second. Blake Burkholder of Indiana, Eric Sparks of Purdue and Michael Hogue of Tennessee round out the automatic qualifiers.
Men's 4x100-meter relay
Tennessee, LSU, MTSU, Arkansas and Grambling State, Indiana, Louisiana Tech, and Eastern Tennessee State University all advance to the finals of men's 4x100-meter relay. Tennessee set a Walton record with their qualifying time of 39.51. Grambling came in as the 18th seed; Indiana was the 19th seed; ETSU was 10th; all others were top 8 seeds.
Women's 4x100-meter relay
Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Tulane, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana and Louisville all advance to tomorrow's final of the women's 4x100-meter relay. Two of the top eight seeds--Auburn, Louisiana Tech--were disqualified. Auburn came into the Mideast Regional as the ninth fastest 400-meter relay team in the world.
Men's 1500-meter run
Notre Dame's Jake Watson will be the top seed in tomorrow's 1500-meter run final. After a 3:43.90, Watson was one of four runners to dip under the previous Mideast Regional meet record. Defending national champion Vincent Rono of South Alabama will be the second seed. The sixth place finisher at the 2006 NCAA Outdoors, Adam Perkins of Arkansas, took the 12th and final qualifying spot. Other qualifiers for tomorrow's race that begins at 4:20 p.m. include Felix Kiboiywo of Auburn, Kurt Benninger of Notre Dame, John Richardon of Kentucky, Ian Boyle of Michigan State, Craig Miller of Wisconsin, Jake Bolas of Wisconsin, Mike Woods of Michigan, Tyler Devault of Tennessee and Darren Gauson of Butler. Justin Switzer of Michigan qualified via protest to complete the field with 13 runners.
Women's 1500-meter run
Tennessee sophomore Sarah Bowman beat out defending Mideast Regional champion Nicole Edwards and last year's runner-up Michaela Courtney to earn the top seed in tomorrow's 1600-meter run final. The No. 2 NCAA runner, Dacia Barr of Arkansas, won her heat and will advance as the two seed. Bowman will be joined by two other Lady Vol milers, Rose-Anne Galligan and Rolanda Bell. Also in the field: Angela Bizzari and Kate Engel of Illinois, Ann Detmer and Gwen Jorgensen of Wisconsin and Corrie Whisner and Laura Farley of Purdue.
Men's 110-meter hurdles
As in the men's 100-meter prelim, six of the top eight seeds have advanced in the men's 110-meter hurdles. The top two seeds--John Yarbrough of Ole Miss and Tyron Akins of Auburn--will be side-by-side in the finals tomorrow in Lanes 4 and 5. LSU sends two hurdlers into the finals--Alleyene Lett and Ryn Fontenot. Three runners from the Big 10--Keith Hopkins of Purdue, Jeff Porter of Michigan and John Childress of Michigan State--will join Middle Tennessee State senior Juan Walker to round out the field.
Women's 100-meter hurdles
All top five seeds in the women's 100-meter hurdles advanced to the finals. The top seed, Tiffany Ofili of Michigan, ran 13.20 and will be in Lane 4 tomorrow. Three LSU Lady Tigers will join Ofili--sophomore Nickiesha Wilson and juniors Jessica Ohanaja and Angel Boyd. LaNeisha Waller of Illinois, Lorain Price of Indiana, Amber Williams of Ball State and Celriece Law of Tennessee round out the field.
Men's Discus
Two Louisville seniors combined to give the Cardinals 14 key points in their chase of a Mideast Regional championship. Arthur Turland won with a throw of 183-0 (55.79m). John Harper of Kent State placed second, cushioning the Golden Flashes impressive field event point total to 28. Fellow Mid-American Conference competitor Auston Papay of Akron took third. Nick Gretz, a senior from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, took the fifth and final automatic qualifying spot.
Men's 100-meter
Six of the top eight seeds in the men's 100 meter dash advance to the finals. Senior Orlando Reid of Middle Tennessee State will be in Lane 4 tomorrow after qualifying with a 10.31. The nation's fastest runner in 2007, Trindon Holliday of LSU will start in Lane 5. J-Mee Samuels of Arkansas, Evander Wells of Tennessee, Demi Omole of Wisconsin, Rubin Williams of Tennessee, Micheal Coleman of Louisiana Tech and Adam Harris of Michigan round out the field. Williams advanced as the tenth seed and Harris as the 20th seed.
Women's 100-meter
Six of the eight finalists in the women's 100-meter hail from schools in Louisiana. Gloria Asumnu of Tulane grabbed Lane 4 after running an 11.40 into a slight headwind. Sherrry Fletcher, Kelly Ann Baptiste and Samantha Henry of LSU grabbed finalist seeds two, four and six respectively. Louisiana Tech's Latonia Wilson qualified seventh. Two Lady Volunteers--Courtney Champion and Lynne Layne--join the finalists. Tracy Anne Rowe of Auburn is seeded fifth after a 11.64.
Men's 400-meter
Two senior Mississippi State teammates--Arthur Davis and Bruce Davis (no relation)--will try to score key points for the Bulldogs tomorrow in the men's 400-meter final. The two qualified fifth and seventh respectively. Two Southeastern Conference opponents will be seeded first and second. Luis Luna of Kentucky turned in the top time of 46.15 and Siraj Williams of LSU was close behind in 46.30. Wisconsin's James Groce, Southern Mississippi's Cornelius Duncan, Lesiba Masheto of Illinois and Terrill McCombs of Western Kentucky round out the field. Masheto and Duncan came in as the top two Mideast Regional qualifers.
Women's 400-meter
Najah Floyd of Central Michigan is the lone finalist in the women's 400-meter dash who does not represent a Southeastern Conference school; she qualified fourth. Mississippi's Kenyata Coleman took the top seed with a 52.28 followed by Jessica Cousins of Arkansas and Trish Bartholomew. After Floyd, Deonna Lawrence of LSU, Jenna Martin of Kentucky, Tominque Boatright of Arkansas and Latonya Loche of Tennessee round out the finalists.
Men's 800-meter
Hometown favorite and Olympian Derrick Peterson saw his nearly 10-year-old Audrey J. Walton Stadium record fall as Michigan senior Andrew Ellerton ran a 1:47.43 to qualify as the top seed in the men's 800-meter run. Ellerton won the Mideast Regional in 2004 and 2005. Vincent Rono of South Alabama qualified second for the finals after running a 3:45.46 just two hours prior to also grab the two seed in the 1500-meter run. Reuben Twijukye of LSU, Yarrick Kincaid of Tennessee, Thomas Chamney of Notre Dame, Golden Coachmen of Mississippi State, Kurt Heimann of Indiana State and Andrew Dawson of Tennessee round out the field. Chamney was the 2006 Mideast Regional champion. (There are five protests currently awaiting a decision in the men's 800-meter run.)
Women's 800-meter
Two Michigan runners--senior Katie Erdman and sophomore Geena Gall--top the list of women's 800-meter finalists. Erdman's time of 2:01.25 set a Walton and Mideast Regional record. Her performance moved her to the top of the NCAA list, second on the USA Track and Field list and fifth on the world list. Two LSU runners--LaTavia Thomas and Tanya Osburne--join Becky Horn of Western Michigan, Trisa Nickoley of Missouri, Erica Schoeller of Wisconsin and Leander Ernest of Missouri State to round out the field.
Women's Javelin
Lindsey Blaine becomes the third Purdue Boilermaker in a row to win the Mideast Regional Javelin. Her throw of 170-11 (52.09) came in above her season best. Two Arkansas hurlers placed in the top five an advance to nationals. Peter-Gaye Beckford--who also qualified for the finals in the women's long jump and Carly Bloomfield--and Carly Bloomfield scored the Lady Backs first 13 points. Betsy Baldwin of Southeast Louisiana qualified fifth.
Men's 400-meter hurdles
LSU Tiger Isa Phillips and Auburb Tiger Rueben McCoy qualified for the Mideast Regional seeded one-two. They'll advance in the same order tomorrow in the men's 400-meter hurdles. Three high seeds--Balazs Molnar (19th) of Notre Dame, Nathaniel Hughes (21st) of Alcorn State and Eric Alejandro (25th)--made the final eight. Joining those five hurdlers are Paladin Jordan from Indiana State, Kyle Roberts of Mississippi State and Jason Brohow of Western Kentucky.
Women's 400-meter hurdles
Three Illinois women qualified for the finals of the 400-meter hurdles--Carlene Robinson (second), Camile Robinson (fifth) and Briana Cunningham (eighth). The top-seeded Ajoke Odumosu of South Alabama easily won her heat and advances to the finals as the top seed with a time of 57.32. LSU sophomore Nickiesha Wilson, Western Michigan sophomore Danielle Brown, Danielle Gilchrist of Aubrun and Miriam Barnes of Louisiana Tech round out the final eight.
Men's 200-meter
The top five seeds in tomorrow's 200-meter dash finals are all from schools in Tennessee. Rubin Williams of Tennessee earned the top spot with his time of 20.61. Williams was followed by teammate Evander Wells, Middle Tennessee State's Orlando Reid, Chris Howell of Tennessee State and Kyle Stevenson of Tennessee. Other competitors in the field are Jh'Rome Tuggle of Purdue, Michael Coleman of Louisiana Tech and Albert Fullwood of Louisiana Tech. Williams, Wells, Reid and Coleman are all in the 100-meter final as well.
Women's 200-meter
Kerron Stewart of Auburn grabbed the top seed in the women's 200-meter dash final with a time of 22.74. Gloria Asumnu of Tulane, the top seed in women's 100-meter final, will be in Lane 5 next to Stewart. Samantha Henry of LSU, Latonia Wilson of Louisiana Tech, Sherry Fletcher of LSU, Lynne Lane of Tennessee, Elisabeth Slettum of Louisville and Courtney Champion of Tennessee. Five women--Asumnu, Wilson, Fletcher, Layne and Champion--will compete in both the 100- and 200-meter finals.
Women's Long Jump
Four of the women's top five seeded long jumpers finished in the top five and qualified automatically for nationals. Brittney Reese, an Ole Miss sophomore, won the event with a jump of 21-0.75 (6.42m). Southern Mississippi's Tanika Liburd, Toledo's April Williams, Stephanie Tamgho of Middle Tennessee State and Andrea Linton of LSU rounded out the top five.
Men's Long Jump
Tone Belt improved on his second place finish a year ago at the Mideast Regional, beating out 36 other competitors with a jump of 24-10.5 (7.58m). The Louisville sophomore, the NCAA Indoor champion, tied Ole Miss sophomore Justin Gunn, but was awarded the victory based on his second-best jump. Ole Miss senior Charles Bailey, LSU sophomore Jeremy Hicks and Middle Tennessee State senior Juan Walker rounded out the top five. Top-seeded and current NCAA leader O'Darien Bassett of Troy finished 29th.
Men's 5000-meter
Chris Solinksy of Wisconsin came into the Mideast Regional with the top seed in the men's 5000-meter run; he leaves the champion with a run of 14:00.71. South Alabama's Tony Okello came into the regional with the 30th seed; the senior grabbed the fifth and final qualifying spot. The three other qualifiers are Wisconsin's Tim Nelson, Arkansas' James Strang and Notre Dame's Patrick Smith.
Women's 5000-meter
Molly Huddle won her fourth 5000-meter run Mideast Regional, and set new Audrey J. Walton and Mideast Regional records in the process with her run of 16:02.56. Samford's Lauren Blankenship, who entered as a 12th seed, took runner-up honors. Michigan's Erin Webster, Wisconsin's Hanna Grinaker and Tennessee-Chattanooga's round out the top five finishers and automatic qualifiers to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in Sacramento. Rebecca Walter, the 2005 Mideast Regional champion, was slotted to run, but did not show.
