TicketsMay 29, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - On Day 1 of the 2009 NCAA Mid-East Outdoor Track and Field Regional at Cardinal Park, the University of Cincinnati outdoor track and field team was led by junior Antione Drakeford, who advanced to the 400 meter finals on Saturday, May 30, with a sixth-place showing in the preliminaries.
Drakeford, who set the UC 400 meter record earlier this season at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational, ran his lap in a time of 46.36. Drakeford finished second in his heat and his time was the sixth fastest on the day. The finals in the men's 400 meters is scheduled to begin at 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.
With junior Dayo Igeleke having to scratch due to an injury, UC's 4x100 relay had a different look than the group that qualified for the regional with a time of 41.15. Nonetheless, the group of freshman Anthony Chandler, sophomore Chase VanCura, sophomore Brian Bruner, and sophomore Mario Cannon clocked in with a 15th-place showing of 42.31.
In his first regional, freshman Michael Rutherford finished 18th in the 800 meters clocking in at 1:53.56, and also in his first regional, Terrence Somerville could not complete the 110 hurdles following a false start.
After qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the high jump last season, junior Brandon Fitch looked to return to the NCAA's this season but fell shy of qualifying with a 16th-place leap of 6' 8-3/4". Additionally in other field events, sophomore Troy Cooper finished 22nd in the shot put with a heave of 52' 11".
In the field events for the women's team, freshmen Mackenzie Fields and Michelle Eby finished 23rd and 24th, respectively, in the pole vault with clearances of 12' 6" and 12'.
Another pair of Bearcats ran in the 100 hurdles as sophomore Kaylon Eppinger finished in the middle of the pack with a time of 13.88, before junior Jasmine Cotten crossed the line in 30th place. Fellow sprinter, sophomore Natasha Burse, also finished in the middle of the pack in the 100 meters with a 15th-place time of 11.78.
Cotten also competed in the long jump, but results have yet to be posted.
Action resumes at the 2009 NCAA Mid-East Regional at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 30.