Louisville Track and Field Travels to NCAA East Preliminary Rounds

Nineteen Cardinals qualified for a total of 24 entries for the meet in Jacksonville, Fla.

 

May 23, 2012

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Vying for a spot to compete at the national championships, 19 members of the University of Louisville track and field teams must first advance past the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, as competition is set to take place May 24-26 at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.

 

The three-day event begins on Thursday, with the Cardinals opening competition at 1 p.m. Action continues on Friday at 10 a.m. and resumes Saturday at 2 p.m. Live results can be accessed at www.FlashResults.com, and live video, free of charge, is available at www.UNFOspreys.com.

 

The fields in Jacksonville will consist of 48 athletes in each of the individual events and 24 teams in each of the relays. The top-12 individuals or relay teams at the end of the weekend earn a trip to Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9, to participate in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The 12 in each event from Jacksonville and the 12 in each event from Austin, Texas - site of the West Preliminary Rounds - will comprise the 24 athlete and relay team fields that will compete at Drake Stadium for the national title.

 

Louisville returns to competition after the women’s team captured its BIG EAST Conference record fifth-straight outdoor title on May 6 in Tampa, Fla.

 

Leading the women’s side is Chinwe Okoro, who garnered a pair of All-America honors at last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships, earning the distinction in the shot put and discus events. The redshirt senior ranks first in the region in each event this year. Fellow thrower Khadija Abdullah, who also earned an All-America accolade at last year’s outdoor championships, is scheduled to compete in the shot put and discus throw events as well. Between Okoro, Abdullah and javelin thrower, Jenna Wargo, the Cardinals have five top-10 throws marks in the East region this year.

 

Also competing in the field events are Michelle Theophille, who ranks third regionally in the high jump, Megan Schubert, who is 18th in the high jump, and Charachesicia Lockhart, who is 11th in the long jump and 39th in the triple jump.

 

Paving the way on the track will be Holly Knight and Ahlivia Spencer. Knight, a three-time track All-American, holds the second-fastest time in the 10,000m.

 

Wesley Smith paces the men’s squad, which had eight qualify for the preliminary rounds. Smith, who finished runner-up in the long jump at the BIG EAST Championships, is 11th in region in the event after posting a season-best 7.68m/25-2.50 at the league meet. Sam Bombaugh also holds a top-25 ranking in the field events, checking in at No. 25 in the hammer throw.

 

On the track, Mattias Wolter currently holds the top standing, as he ranks 13th in the 3,000m steeplechase. He and Gordon Dooley are scheduled to race in the event on Friday.

 

A true freshman, Calvin Arsenault leads a trio of sprinters in Jacksonville. Arsenault will compete in the 110m hurdles, the event in which he broke the school record earlier this year. Emmanuel Matadi, another newcomer, will take part in the 100m, while Jordon Frazier returns to the preliminary rounds for the second-straight year in the 400m hurdles.

 

For all of the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to UofLsports.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvilletrack.

 

NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUNDS (MAY 24-26 – JACKSONVILLE, FLA.)

 

Thursday, May 24

 

Men’s Long Jump, 1 p.m.

Wesley Smith

 

Women’s Shot Put, 1 p.m.

Chinwe Okoro, Khadija Abdullah, Amashi Kendall

 

Women’s Javelin, 4 p.m.

Jenna Wargo

 

Men’s 400m Hurdles, 4:30 p.m. (first round)

Jordon Frazier

 

Women’s Long Jump, 5:30 p.m.

Charachesicia Lockhart

 

Men’s 100m, 6:30 p.m. (first round)

Emmanuel Matadi

 

Women’s 10,000m, 9:40 p.m.

Holly Knight

 

Friday, May 25

 

Men’s Hammer Throw, 10 a.m.

Sam Bombaugh

 

Women’s Discus, 3 p.m.

Chinwe Okoro, Khadija Abdullah, Amashi Kendall

 

Men’s Triple Jump, 4:30 p.m.

Seon Powell

 

Women’s High Jump, 5 p.m.

Michelle Theophille, Megan Schubert, Maggie Gilbertson

 

Men’s 110m Hurdles, 5 p.m. (first round)

Calvin Arsenault

 

Men’s 100m, 6:30 p.m. (quarterfinals; contingent upon advancing)

Emmanuel Matadi

 

Women’s 800m, 7:15 p.m.

Ahlivia Spencer

 

Men’s 400m Hurdles, 7:30 p.m. (quarterfinals, contingent upon advancing)

Jordon Frazier

 

Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase, 8:50 p.m.

Mattias Wolter, Gordon Dooley

 

Saturday, May 26

 

Women’s Hammer Throw, 2 p.m.

Amashi Kendall, Patrice Gates

 

Women’s Triple Jump, 4:30 p.m.

Charachesicia Lockhart

 

Men’s 110m Hurdles, 7:05 p.m. (quarterfinals, contingent upon advancing)

Calvin Arsenault

 

-ig-

 

For More Information, Contact:

Ira Green, (502) 852-4857

Ira.Green@louisville.edu