Tickets
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - It was certainly a banner day for the University of Cincinnati track and field program Friday at the 2016 NCAA East Preliminary meet as four more women earned berths to the NCAA Championship Final to bring the program's two-day total to six overall (five women, one man), the most in UC history. At the meet, which is being held at Hodges Stadium on the North Florida campus in Jacksonville, Fla., the high jump duo of Loretta Blaut and Erika Hurd joined Alyssa McBride (pole vault) and Kenya Woodall (400m dash) as those Bearcats moving onto the finals in two weeks. With one more day of action and six more opportunities, the Bearcats could add more to the team's travel plans following the remaining events Saturday.
// WOMEN'S RESULTS
- For the first time in UC women's program history, a pair of Bearcats will compete in the national final in the same event as Blaut and Hurd battled the weather and 46 other women to earn a Top 12 finish and berths into the meet in Oregon. Both women needed clutch clearances during the competition as each remained in the meet with a third-attempt clearance. Both women cleared the opening bar on their first attempts (1.66m) before heading up to 1.71m. At the second bar, Blaut cleared on her third attempt to keep her season alive while Hurd made it over on the second attempt. At the third height (1.76m), the roles were reversed with Hurd clearing on her third and final attempt while Blaut was over on the second jump. Then, at what proved to be the final bar, both cleared 1.80m (5-10.75) on their second attempts and punched their tickets to Oregon.
- Staying in the vertical events, McBride had a stellar day on the vault runway and was nearly perfect in her attempts, needing a second chance at the final height of 4.25m (13-11.25) to clear a height after posting first-attempt clearances at the previous three heights she entered. With her clearance at 4.25m, McBride not only earned the first national berth in her career, but also cleared a personal best and raised the school's all-time No. 2 clearance she set earlier this year.
- On the track, Woodall raced to a time of 51.83 to take second in her heat which, by virtue of finishing in the Top 3 of her race, automatically sends her to Eugene. Her time is a season best and sits just 0.05 seconds off her all-time best of 51.78, which also is the UC record. She will return to the national final for the second year in a row in the one-lap sprint after placing 17th one year ago.
- Staying on the track, Woodall and Haisha Bisiolu also competed in the 200m dash first round, but were unable to race into the Top 24 to advance to tomorrow's quarterfinal. Woodall clocked in at 23.70, which placed her 26th overall, while Bisiolu, who entered the meet as a late addition and ranked 48th, finished in 24.03 to place 39th overall.
- A trio of women took part in the first round action of the 100m hurdles, but were unable to post times to move them to the next round. Javette Lee, the 2016 American Athletic Conference champion in the event, led the way in 13.58 and finished 27th overall. Senior Je'Rica Sanders placed 31st overall in 13.62 while Aliya Barnes ran 13.73 to finish 35th overall.
- Back in the field, freshman Brooke Catherine, one of two rookies to compete on the day for UC (with Bisiolu), competed in the pole vault and cleared 3.80m (12-05.50). Entering the meet ranked 48th, Catherine was able to battle through a rain delay and better her seeding with her clearance of the opening bar.
// MEN'S RESULTS
- Jimmy Brooks was the lone UC man to compete on the second day of action as he took part in the quarterfinal round of the 400m dash. Running in the first heat, Brooks posted a time of 46.33 - the second-fastest of his career - to finish fourth. Despite the fast time, Brooks was unable to remain among the Top 12 following the remaining two races, slipping to 16th overall. Brooks' quest to reach the national meet in his first NCAA Division I campaign is not over, however, as the junior will be part of the 4x400m relay that will look to qualify Saturday evening.
// HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
- Through two days of competition, five UC women have qualified to advance to the national finals in Eugene, Ore. (June 8-11). That total is a program record (men and women), surpassing the four individuals the women sent to the 2012 championships. The largest group the men have sent to the finals is three, including the 1972, 1973 and 2004 events.
- When Blaut and Hurd compete in the high jump in Oregon, they will become just the third duo in program history and the first women's tandem to compete at the national meet in the same event. Previously, Ben Haber and Jimmy Mount were the second duo to accomplish the feat as both took part in the decathlon at the 2005 NCAA Championships after Jim Calloway and Chuck Roberts raced the 880y event in 1968.
- McBride's qualification to Oregon marks just the third time in program history that a UC woman will compete in the pole vault. Previously, Michelle Eby (2012) and Mackenzie Fields (2013) were the lone vaulters at the national meet for the Bearcats. It also marks the second time that UC has placed one man and one woman in the pole vault at the same national meet after Fields was joined by Josh Dangel in 2013.
The third and final day of competition is on deck for the Bearcats Saturday with three individuals and three relays set to compete. Individually, both Annette Echikunwoke and Leah Heckaman will compete in the shot put while Rebecka Abrahamsson will take part in the triple jump, looking to secure back-to-back outdoor national berths in the event. On the track, the women's 4x100m will race in the quarterfinal to open the day before both 4x400m squads close out the meet at night.
Women's Results
NCAA East Preliminary Round (5/27/16) - Day 2
100m Hurdles - First Round
27. Javette Lee - 13.58
31. Je'Rica Sanders - 13.62
35. Aliya Barnes - 13.73
200m Dash - First Round
26. Kenya Woodall - 23.70
39. Haisha Bisiolu - 24.03
400m Dash - Quarterfinal
2. Kenya Woodall - 51.83 - Advances to NCAA Final
High Jump - Quarterfinal
t-7. Loretta Blaut - 1.80m (5-10.75) - Advances to NCAA Final
t-7. Erika Hurd - 1.80m (5-10.75) - Advances to NCAA Final
Pole Vault - Quarterfinal
7. Alyssa McBride - 4.25m (13-11.25) - PR & UC #2 - Advances to NCAA Final
t-42. Brooke Catherine - 3.80m (12-05.50)
Men's Results
NCAA East Preliminary Round (5/27/16) - Day 2
400m Dash - Quarterfinal
16. Jimmy Brooks - 46.33
Qualifiers to the NCAA Championship Final
Women
Loretta Blaut - High Jump
Annette Echikunwoke - Hammer Throw
Erika Hurd - High Jump
Alyssa McBride - Pole Vault
Kenya Woodall - 400m Dash
Men
Adrian Valles - Pole Vault