May 27, 2010
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams has a solid opening day to the inaugural NCAA Championship East Preliminary Qualifying Rounds on Thursday, hosted by North Carolina A&T University at Irwin Belk Track. The Boilermakers earned a pair of NCAA Championship qualifying marks on the day, advancing to the national meet in two weeks at the University of Oregon.
Senior Eric Sparks and junior Emily Breslin accounted for the Boilermakers two qualifiers as Sparks advanced to the national championships in the men's pole vault, while Breslin qualified in the women's high jump. Sparks had to clear 5.25 meters (17-02.75) to move on to his fourth straight NCAA Outdoor Championship meet, where he'll go after his first career All-America award. Breslin qualified for the first national meet of her career, clearing a career best 1.81 meters (5-11.25) to advance to Oregon. After a series of delays and questions from the officials regarding qualification for several athletes, Breslin resumed competition, attempting her final bar. She missed her first attempt, but rebounded clearing on her second and is now tied for the fifth-highest mark in school history outdoors with Maggie Woods' mark from 1980.
Senior Nan Hammel advanced to tomorrow's NCAA Quarterfinals in the women's 800-meter run on Thursday, picking up a time qualifier with her mark of 2:07.93. She ran in the opening heat, which ending up being one of the fastest of the day, but then had to sweat it out through the last five flights to make sure she advanced to tomorrow's race. The 24 remaining competitors will be shrunk down to 12 tomorrow at 6:30 p.m., with those 12 going on to Oregon.
The Boilermakers missed a third national qualifier on Thursday by the narrowest of margins as sophomore Leah Eber finished 13th in the women's long jump, one place and one centimeter shy of advancing to the NCAA Championships. Eber advanced to the finals with the No. 12 mark in the prelims at 6.14 meters (20-01.75), and improved her mark to 6.18 meters (20-03.50) with her first jump of the finals to hold on to 12th place. However, she was bumped to 13th in the sixth and final round of jumps with a mark of 6.19 meters (20-03.75) by East Carolina's Tynita Butts.
Junior Chris Thoman and freshman Kyle Campbell joined Sparks in men's pole vault competition, clearing matching heights of 4.95 meters (16-02.75) before bowing out, while freshmen Simon Rogers and Alice Feslier Holmes gave solid efforts in the men's and women's 1,500-meter runs, respectively. Rogers crossed the line in 3:51.77 in the men's race, and Feslier Holmes marked 4:36.36 in the women's. Sophomore Terri Anderson had a tough go in the women's shot put, fouling her first two attempts and settling for a mark of 14.84 meters (48-08.25) on her third and final throw. Junior Jacob Palmer had a solid effort in the men's 800-meter run as well, crossing the line in 1:50.33.
The Boilermakers resume action tomorrow at 3 p.m. with the men's shot put as junior Bill Hardcastle and freshman Jakob Engel are set to compete. Continue following live updates of Purdue's performances at the Official Purdue Athletics Twitter Page.