May 26, 2006
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - For the second time in as many years, sophomore Kara Patterson is the NCAA Mideast Regional Champion in the javelin.
The Vancouver, Wash., native launched the javelin 51.16 meters (167 feet-10 inches), beating out Akron senior Ashley Kaufman (50.99; 167-03) and teammate Lindsey Blaine, who recorded a personal best of 50.47 (165-07).
The javelin points have the Boilermakers tied for third place with Akron at 16 points. Notre Dame leads with 19 points and Alabama is second with 18 points.
For finishing among the top five at regionals, Blaine and Patterson will head back to the NCAA national championships for a second straight year.
Also making waves Friday was Leah Kincaid, who broke the varsity record in the 100-meter hurdles with her time of 13.27. The previous record of 13.47 was established by Jamie McNeair in May of 1990.
Kincaid's record time placed her seventh overall and second in her heat. Kincaid runs again Saturday in the finals at 5:40 p.m. Live video coverage of the race will be provided by UTSports.com.
The remainder of the Boilermaker roster wasn't as fortunate. Keith Hopkins and Rickey Pinkney both posted personal records in the 110-meter hurdles of 13.74 and 13.77, but those marks left them out of the finals as they placed ninth and tenth.
Elsewhere on the track, Corrie Whisner was 14th in the 1500-meter run and Brooke Woodruff was 16th in the 800. In the field, John Porter placed 13th in the pole vault and Nolan Petties, Jr., finished 20th in the long jump.
In addition to Kincaid, seven other Boilermakers will be in competition Saturday, including Lindsey Polhemus in the discus and Amber Ferner and David Rae in the steeplechase. The quartet of Jocelyn Lindsay, Megan Darraugh, Mallory Peck and Brianna Neumann are slated to compete in the pole vault.