March 5, 2005
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - In approximately two days, Sophomore Rickey Pinkney will know whether or not he's been invited to the NCAA Championships.
Pinkney won the 60-meter hurdles title Saturday at the Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invitational, but improved his season-best mark by only .01 seconds to 7.81.
"He's firmly on the bubble, and his odds of making the meet are 50/50", said head coach Jack Warner, who anxiously waits for Monday night's announcement. Warner said the NCAA heat sheets should be posted by 7 p.m., but in past years they've gone up as late as 8 or 9 p.m.
Pinkney entered this weekend ranked 18th in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.82. If everyone's times hold in the rankings, the Florida A&M transfer will move up three spots into a tie for 15th with Florida's Kerron Clement and Dwight Ruff and Houston's Andrew Carruthers.
Pinkney was the only Boilermaker this weekend to improve on his or her season best mark. Senior Derek Watkins placed second in the high jump, but couldn't top the 2.12 meters (6 feet- 11.5 inches) he reached at Big Ten's. Kyle Orender, who owns a season best of 8:08.48 in the 3K, finished Saturday's race in 8:14.00.
Friday night, senior weight thrower J.P. Smolenski recorded a distance of 19.24 (63-1.5), which was his second best effort of the season. Junior pole vaulter Jocelyn Lindsay could not match her season best leap of 3.90 (12-9.5), finishing fourth with a height of 3.80 (12-5.5).
Astin Steward, who had reached the NCAA provisional cut in the weight throw twice this season, fouled out after three attempts.
Senior shot putter Nedzad Mulabegovic is currently Purdue's lone representative for the NCAA Championships, which begin Friday, March 11 at the University of Arkansas. Mulabegovic surpassed the NCAA automatic qualifying standard on all of his throws this season.