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Cavaliers Head South For NCAA East Regionals
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia track and field team has qualified 28 athletes for the NCAA East Region Championships this Friday and Saturday in Greensboro, N.C. The Cavaliers are sending more competitors this season than any year before, and have met the required standards in 21 different events.
Competition will take place on Irwin Belk Track and will begin on Friday at 11 a.m. and will conclude Saturday evening. Individuals placing in the top-five of their respective events will automatically qualify for the national championships. Live results for this weekend will be available on VirginiaSports.com.
Seven Cavaliers have regionally qualified in two events, including sophomore Adams Abdulrazaaq in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles, senior Yemi Ayeni in the discus and the shot put, freshman Morgane Gay in the 800m and 1500m, junior Stephanie Garcia in the 5k and steeplechase, sophomore Emil Heineking in the 1500m and 5k and junior Ayla Smith and sophomore Chidi Uche in the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles.
Four other Cavaliers have also qualified in the 5k, while three others have met the mark in the 1500m, steeplechase, discus and javelin. Sophomore Ryan Collins, senior Lauretta Dezubay, junior Trey Miller and junior Graham Tribble will race the 5k, while senior Andrew Jesien, freshman Sintayehu Taye and senior Kevin Tschirhart all met the mark in the 1500m. In the steeplechase, junior Steve Finley, sophomore Andrew Mearns and junior Samantha Stafford have qualified.
In field events, seniors Caitlin Kelly, Billie-Jo Grant and Amy Bilmanis have all qualified to compete in the discus, while junior Meghan Briggs and freshmen Andy Fahringer and Tara Karin will throw the javelin.
Sophomore Andrew Lobb and freshman Lance Roller will both compete in the 800m, while sophomore Meikle Paschal hit the mark in the 400m. Sophomore Marcus Robinson met triple jump standard and freshman Maureen Laffan will throw the shot put.
For those who advance, the NCAA Championships will be held on June 10-13, in Fayetteville, Ark.