(Photo by John Kelley)
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Lady Bulldogs are ranked fifth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national poll while the Georgia men are holding down the seventh spot.
[su_spacer size=”40″] This meet serves as the stepping-stone to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., on June 10-13. Forty-eight individuals or relays have qualified for the Prelims in each event and the top 12 in each event from both the East and West (Austin, Texas) regions advance to Nationals in Eugene.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Fifteen of the Bulldog individuals or relay teams are currently ranked in the top 12 in the East Region, including true freshman Keturah Orji’s top national ranking in the triple jump.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “We are going to the Prelims in Jacksonville with one objective and that is to qualify every athlete to the Championships in good health,” said Bulldog head coach Wayne Norton. “This is the final step to getting the teams in position to compete for a championship. Our success in Eugene can be enhanced by what we do in
Florida.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] Sophomores Alex Poursanidis and Alex Larsson (men’s hammer throw) and junior Freya Jones and graduate student Jenna Wargo (women’s javelin) start the meet for the Bulldogs at 12 p.m. on Thursday. Senior Drew Branch starts the action on the track in the first round of the 400-meter hurdles at 5 p.m. Branch will be attempting to advance to Friday’s quarterfinal round.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Four Bulldogs get a free pass through the Prelims round to the NCAA Championship finals. Junior Maicel Uibo and senior Garrett Scantling are ranked first and second, respectively, in the decathlon nationally and on the world list. Senior Quintunya Chapman and sophomore Kendell Williams are holding down the No. 2 and No. 7 spots nationally (third and 12th on the world list), in that order, in the heptathlon.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Uibo and Scantling did make the trip to Jacksonville and will be competing in the men’s open pole vault at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Williams will high jump at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia declared 32 team members for the 2014 East Prelims and had 15 advance. Thirteen individuals (six men, seven women) and two men’s relay teams moved on to last year’s NCAA Championships in Oregon.
[su_spacer size=”40″] NCAA East Prelims Qualifiers
[su_spacer size=”10″] WOMEN
[su_spacer size=”10″] Name Event East Rankings
Keturah Orji Triple jump 1st (46 feet, 5 ¼ inches)
Leontia Kallenou High jump 2nd (6-4)
Keturah Orji Long jump 3rd (21-9)
Chanice Porter Long jump 4th (21-5.25)
Freya Jones Javelin 4th (176-9)
Shelby Ashe Hammer throw 4th (211-8)
Morgann Leleux Pole vault 5th (14-3.25)
Porter High jump 7th (6-0.50)
Bret McDaniel 3000m steeplechase 14th (10:08.28)
*Kendell Williams High jump 14th (5-11.50)
Jenna Wargo Javelin 14th (161-3)
Asianna Covington Hammer throw 28th (191-8)
Tatiana Gusin High jump 30th (5-9.25)
Ashley Henry 400m 32nd (53.56)
Covington Discus 48th (160-5)
[su_spacer size=”40″] MEN
[su_spacer size=”10″] Name Event East Rankings
Alex Poursanidis Hammer throw 3rd (229 feet, 11 inches)
Drew Branch 400mH 4th (49.53)
Ayrian Evans, Branch
Calhoun, Raytez Jenkins 4x400m relay 4th (3:04.37)
Jamario Calhoun Long jump 6th (25-6.25)
Ashinia Miller Shot put 8th (65-1.25)
Nick Vena Shot put 10th (64-8.75)
Brandon Lord 10,000m 10th (29:09.46)
Charles Grethen 800m 15th (1:47.53)
Alex Larsson Hammer throw 15th (215-5)
*Maicel Uibo Pole vault 22nd (17-0.75)
Calhoun 200m 24th (20.93)
Christian Harrison 800m 24th (1:48.25)
Caleb Ebbets Pole vault 32nd (16-9.25)
Luke Baker 10,000m 34th (29:36.95)
Kisean Smith 800m 38th (1:49.11)
Braydon Anderson Javelin 39th (215-6)
*Garrett Scantling Pole vault 41st (16-7.50)
Zack Sims 5000m 43rd (14:11.16)
Jon Okoye 200m 46th (21.27)
*multi-event athletes already qualified for the NCAA Championships in the heptathlon or decathlon