TicketsApril 30, 2009
Championship Central | Schedule of Events
IN THE STARTING BLOCKS:
The University of Cincinnati outdoor track and field team travels to Villanova, Pa., to compete in the 2009 Outdoor BIG EAST Track and Field Championships May 1-3 at Jumbo Elliot Track on the Villanova University campus. This year marks the 29th anniversary of the BIG EAST Conference and the Outdoor Championships. This will be the 21st time the Championship will be held at Villanova Stadium.
BIGEAST.tv is the BIG EAST's online home for live and on-demand streaming audio and video. BIGEAST.tv will have access to the Wavecam as part of its production. Ed Dougherty, an engineering professor at Villanova who invented the patent pending Wavecam, will be implementing the camera outdoors for the first time. Wavecam is an aerial remotely controlled camera system and was successfully used last basketball season for many of Villanova's men's and women's home games. It will be used as one of two different camera angles. The Wavecam will give users dynamic aerial views of events on the track and in the field.
Competition will begin with multi-events on Fri., May 1 at 11 a.m. ET. Saturday's events begin at 9 a.m. ET, and Sunday will start at 11 a.m. ET.
Fans have two ways to subscribe to watch the championships live on BIGEAST.tv:
1. Sign up for the Outdoor Track & Field Championship package to gain access to all sessions for a one-time low price of $9.95.
2. Sign up for a recurring monthly subscription, which gives fans access to all BIGEAST.tv premium content for 30 days, for $9.95.
Fans can purchase exclusive photos from the 2009 Outdoor Track & Field Championships by visiting the BIG EAST's new online photo store, serviced by Replay Photos.
For live results, recaps, highlights and more, fans should visit Outdoor Track & Field Championship Central.
BEARCAT BITES:
· Antione Drakeford enters the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships as the reigning BIG EAST Most Outstanding Track Performer from 2008 after winning the 400 meters (46.29) and running the second leg of the winning 4x100 meter-relay team.
· The UC men's and women's teams finished second at the All-Ohio Championships with the men's team finishing six points out of first and the women's team finishing 33 points out of first.
· Troy Cooper reached a NCAA Regional mark and broke Greg Weber's 1983 record of 57' 5" in the shot put at the All-Ohio Championships with a toss of 57' 9".
· Additionally, Ian Jarman and Chad Hanson both reached NCAA Regional marks in the hammer with throws of 195' 1" and 190' 5", respectively.
· Antione Drakeford set an All-Ohio meet record in the 400 with a lap of 46.39, before reaching a NCAA regional time of 21.17 in the 200 meters.
· Dayo Igeleke and Michael Rutherford also reached NCAA Regional qualification marks in the 100 meters and 800 meters, respectively, with times of 10.55 and 1:50.34.
· On the women's side, Natasha Burse won two individual All-Ohio titles and helped win two relay All-Ohio Championships. Burse took top honors in the 100, 200, 4x100, and 4x400.
· Kathy Klump broke the UC 800 meter record en route to claiming first prize in the event with a time of 2:09.94.
· Lilian Jelimo broke her own 3,000 meter steeplechase record with a time of 10:37.87. Jelimo's previous best was 10:38.86 at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational.
· 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.
· Drakeford's time of 45.83 in the 400 is the sixth fastest time in the NCAA this season.
· 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. Her clearance is tied for the fourth-best leap in the nation this season.
· 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. She has continued to improve and finished third at the Drake Relays with a time of 13.60.
· 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 Somerville collected a regional mark in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.14 seconds. Somerville bested his time in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.06 at the All-Ohio Championships.
· 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.
UP NEXT:
The Bearcats travel to Louisville, Ky., to compete in the Cardinal Twilight on May 16.