TicketsApril 9, 2009
IN THE STARTING BLOCKS:
For the first time since the outdoor season began, the University of Cincinnati outdoor track and field team will compete outside of Gettler Stadium when it travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to compete in the Sea Ray Relays April 10-11 at Tom Black Track on the University of Tennessee campus. Schools from all over the country will be in Knoxville this weekend, including fellow BIG EAST competitors Louisville, West Virginia, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Rutgers, and Seton Hall. The meet kicks off at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, April 10.
BEARCAT BITES:
· The Bearcats continued their early success capturing the Southern Ohio Cup on Saturday, April 4.
· Junior Antione Drakeford broke his own school record and the Gettler Stadium record at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational, while notching a regional-qualifying mark in the 400 with a time of 45.83. Drakeford followed his 400 time with a 45.1 split in the 4x400.
· In addition to Drakeford, junior Jasmine Cotten set a NCAA Provisional mark in the heptathlon with a score of 5,321 at the Alabama Relays.
· At the Southern Ohio Cup, Cotten improved her regional qualifying high jump mark to 6', which also was a meet record.
· Running the 3,000 steeplechase for the first time this season at the Southern Ohio Cup, sophomore Lilian Jelimo ran a NCAA regional-qualifying time of 10:38.86, surpassing the standard by more than 12 seconds. Jelimo's time also set a UC record and a Southern Ohio Cup record in the event, bettering P.J. Ball's 2001 time by more than seven seconds.
· For the third week in a row, sophomore Natasha Burse swept the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 relay at the Southern Ohio Cup with times of 11.75, 24.25, and 46.23. Burse's 100 time reached a NCAA regional qualifying mark and also was a meet record.
· Freshman Mackenzie Fields matched the NCAA provisional standard in the pole vault with a 12' 7-1/2" clearance.
· Also at the Alabama Relays, sophomore Kaylon Eppinger reached a NCAA provisional mark within the heptathlon with a time of 13.90 in the 100 hurdles, and bettered her time with a 13.88 showing at the Southern Ohio Cup.
· In the field events at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational, junior Shane Shockey reached a NCAA regional-qualifying mark in the pole vault, clearing 16' 6-3/4". Troy Cooper and Ian Jarman also collected NCAA regional-qualifying marks in the shot put and hammer throw, respectively, with throws of 59' 9" and 195' 5".
· Finally, freshman Terrence Sommerville collected a regional mark in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.14 seconds.
· Freshman Michael Rutherford surpassed his own freshman record set at the Early Bird Relays with a time of 1:50.44 in the 800 meters at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational.
· Freshman Eric Finan shattered the 1,500 meter freshman record with a time of 14:29.66, which also was a Gettler Stadium record, at the Early Bird Relays.
· One meet into the season, junior Brandon Fitch recorded a regional-qualifying mark in the high jump with a clearance of 6' 10-3/4".
· The Bearcat men finished fourth at the 2008 BIG EAST Championships, the highest finish in the three-year affiliation with the 16-team league. The women placed 10th.
LAST TIME OUT:
The University of Cincinnati outdoor track and field team won its third straight home meet taking home the Southern Ohio Cup.
Junior Ashley Arnold brought home the 400 meter title running her lap around the track in 54.82 seconds, before freshman Kathy Klump and senior Megan McAuley finished 1-2 in the 800 meters with times of 2:12.53 and 2:13.64, respectively.
Junior Tamara Masters led a 1-2-3 finish in the 5,000 meters crossing the line in 17:33.43.
Sophomore Kaylon Eppinger, who had already recorded a NCAA provisional mark in the 100 hurdles a week ago, bettered her mark in the event running a first-place time of 13.88.
In the field, junior Jasmine Cotten won the high jump and the long with a NCAA provisional clearance of 6' in the high jump and 19' 6" leap in the long jump, while freshman Mackenzie Fields matched the NCAA provisional standard in the pole vault with 12' 7-1/2".
On the men's side, freshman Michael Rutherford continued his strong start to the season winning the 1,500 meters in a time of 3:52.20, while fellow freshman Eric Finan registered a triumph in the 5,000 meters clocking a time of 14:37.66. Finan's time also set a new Southern Ohio Cup record.
In the hurdles, freshman Terrence Somerville collected first-place prize in the 110 hurdles clocking a time of 14.15 seconds and junior Jared Martin earned top honors in the 400 hurdles with a time of 53.97.
Junior Brandon Fitch cleared 6' 9-3/4" in the high jump, leading a 1-2-3 Bearcat finish, before Somerville fell just short of the NCAA provisional mark with a jump of 23' 11" in the long jump.
Finally, in the throws sophomore Chris Littleton won the discus with a heave of 157' 6".
UP NEXT:
UC travels up the road to Oxford, Ohio for the All-Ohio meet April 17-18. The meet will take place at George L. Rider Track on the Miami University Campus.