April 30, 2003
Cullowhee, N.C. - The Western Carolina men's and women's track and field teams are boasting several competitors in the upcoming NCAA Regional Outdoor Meet in Fairfax, Va., on May 30, one month from today. Included among that list of athletes is Michelle Velez, who qualified for the regional meet in the pole vault at the recent Knoxville Invitational with a vault of 12' 0". Velez qualified in the 100 meter hurdles at the Southern Conference Championships with a time of 14.0 seconds, good for a second place finish.
The WCU men's distance medley relay team, comprised of Caleb Bailey, Milton Bolton, John Robertson and Adam Puett, finished seventh nationally out of forty teams at the recent Penn Relays, setting a Catamount outdoor record of 9:55.38, just over 12 seconds faster than the previous time. Since the event is not sponsored by the NCAA, the Penn Relays serves as the championship for the distance medley relay.
Josh Lee took home first place and qualified in the javelin at the SoCon meet with a throw of 167' 11" and then improved his mark by nearly 20 feet in Knoxville over the weekend with a throw of 187' 5".
Others who have qualified for Regionals so far this season are Leslie Martin (800m - 2:13.65), Laura Tieszen (pole vault - 12' 10"), Kineta Williams-Rogers (javelin - 120' 6"), Milton Bolton (400m - 47.34), Caleb Bailey (800m - 1:53.15, 1500m - 3:52.49), Nick McNeil (discus - 143' 6") and Jason Stepp (hammer - 158' 11"). Bailey, McNeil, Stepp, Martin and Williams-Rogers all qualified by virtue of their first place finishes at the conference meet.
The Catamounts still have opportunities to qualify, if they have not already, or improve their marks before the regional meet. WCU will send some of its athletes to compete at the Orange and Purple Classic at Clemson University on May 10 as well as to the Georgia Tech Invitational on May 16.
|
|
 |
