Four Cavaliers Qualify for NCAA Track & Field Championships

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May 27, 2006

Erin Crawford ran the fastest time in the intermediate hurdles this season en route to a second place finish, Soeren Lindner and Jan Foerster both ran 8:53 in the steeple, and Billie Jo Grant took fifth in the shot put at the NCAA East Regional meet as all four individuals qualified automatically for the NCAA Track and Field Championships. The 2006 national championships will be held in Sacramento, California from June 7-10.

The Virginia men finished 12th overall out of 115 eligible teams in the East Regional, the largest regional meet in the nation of the four regions (MidEast, MidWest, West), while the women finished 15th out of 126 eligible teams.

Crawford’s time was the best for a Cavalier in 2006 and was just .11 shy of her school record. Lindner also hit a personal best for 2006, while Foerster’s time is his best effort by over six seconds. Grant’s toss of 51′ 9″ is also a personal best. Grant earned All-American honors in the discus in 2005 and will return to the national championships for a second consecutive year. She finished seventh in the discus at this year’s regional, throwing a 160′ 0″.

Yemi Ayeni took sixth overall in the discus in his first NCAA Regional meet, throwing a 181′ 10″, while Andy Biladeau finished eighth overall in the 5K, running a 14:13.50. He finished just ahead of teammates Ryan Foster (10th, 14:18.73) and Andrew Dumm (14th, 14:32.11).

The Cavaliers await the final declaration of athletes for the meet that will take place next week; Ayeni, Foster, and Biladeau all could recieve an invitation to the championships.