May 17, 2012

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss track and field program will boast a strong presence in the preliminary round of the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, as the NCAA accepted 32 entries between the men’s and women’s teams.

The NCAA East Preliminary Round will be held next weekend, May 24-26, at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

There will be 29 Rebel athletes – 14 men and 15 women – competing in 23 different events at the regional, including recent 2012 SEC Champions Isiah Young (men’s 200 meters) and Rachel Jenkins (women’s long jump), as well as Ricky Robertson, who has the world-leading high jump this year.

The NCAA Selection Committee accepted the top 48 performers in each individual event and the top 24 relay teams in both relays to compete at each site hosting the NCAA Preliminary Rounds for a total of 96 individuals and 48 relays competing in each event nationwide. The West Preliminary Round is being held in Austin, Texas.

The top 12 finishers in each event at the regional will qualify for the national semifinal and final rounds of the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be held at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9.

Additionally, sophomore Fabia McDonald has automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in Des Moines in the heptathlon by virtue of ranking top 24 nationally in that competition. She ranks 14th nationally.

MEN

Athlete, Event, Time/Mark (Region Rank)
Isiah Young, 100 meters, 10.08 (3)
Mike Granger, 100 meters, 10.17 (8)
Isiah Young, 200 meters, 20.32 (3)
Dante Oliver, 400 meters, 47.25 (44)
Montez Griffin, 400 meters, 47.26 (47)
Carson Blanks, 400-meter hurdles, 50.30 (3)
Brian Word, 400-meter hurdles, 52.46 (38)
Ricky Robertson, high jump, 7-07.25 (1)
Caleb Lee, long jump, 24-08.25 (29)
Ricky Robertson, triple jump, 53-02.25 (5)
Kentrell Sanders, triple jump, 52-02.50 (7)
Morris Kersh, triple jump, 51-00.00 (21)
Sam Kendricks, pole vault, 18-0.50 (2)
Benjamin Lapane, javelin, 216-10 (25)
Oliver, Serrette, Griffin, Shields, 4x100 meter relay, 39.90 (10)
Oliver, Serrette, Word, Griffin, 4x400 meter relay, 3:07.79 (12)

WOMEN

Athlete, Event, Time/Mark (Region Rank)
Jasmine Williams, 100 meters, 11.61 (40)
Jasmine Williams, 200 meters, 23.67 (26)
Kristin Bridges, 400 meters, 53.19 (16)
Taryn Hartfield, 100-meter hurdles, 13.69 (44)
Sofia Hellberg-Jonsen, 400-meter hurdles, 58.99 (20)
Katie Breathitt, 3,000-meter steeplechase, 10:26.64 (35)
Neal Tisher, pole vault, 13-07.00 (10)
Rachel Jenkins, long jump, 20-09.75 (8)
Marci Morman, long jump, 20-03.75 (23)
Deonna Walton, long jump, 19-11.50 (35)
Allegra Wells, long jump, 19-11 (40)
Aria Gaines, triple jump, 42-02.75 (16)
Marci Morman, triple jump, 42-02.00 (17)
Fabia McDonald, javelin, 145-4 (36)
Russell, J. Williams, M. Williams, Bridges, 4x100 meter relay, 45.19 (15)
M. Williams, McDonald, Lundy, Bridges, 4x400 meter relay, 3:36.69 (10)