TicketsJune 3, 2009
Live Streaming at NCAA Championship Central
CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati juniors Antione Drakeford and Jasmine Cotten each have accepted bids to compete in the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 10-13 at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark. Drakeford will run in the 400 meters and enters the NCAA Championships ranked 15th in the event, while Cotten will compete in the heptathlon ranked 24th.
Needing to finish in the Top 5 in the 400 meters at the NCAA Mid-East Regional to automatically advance to the NCAA Championships, Drakeford barely missed out on automically qualifying with a sixth-place time of 46.12. Despite missing out at the NCAA Mid-East Regional, Drakeford's 400 time of 45.83 at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational on March 28 was good enough to earn an at-large spot in the race.
The first round of the men's 400 meters is set to begin at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, while the semifinals are scheduled to begin at 7:25 p.m. on Friday, June 12. The finals will take place at 12:12 p.m. on Saturday, June 13.
Cotten earned her bid to the NCAA Championships at the second meet of the season with a NCAA provisional mark of 5,321 in the heptathlon at the Alabama Relays. That score ranks fifth on UC's Top 10 list behind four marks from 2007 NCAA All-American Ashley Wilhelm.
The first four events of the heptathlon begin at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, and the final three events take place on Friday, June 12, beginning at 1:15 p.m.