May 17, 2012
CULLOWHEE, N.C. -
The NCAA released the qualifiers for the 2012 NCAA East Preliminary Round meet of the Division One Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held on the campus of the University of North Florida at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The meet is set to begin one week from today, May 24. Sophomore Jocelyn Keen and senior Jamie Van Pelt both qualified from Western Carolina, as Keen will participate in the 800-meter run while Van Pelt competes in the hammer.
Keen – the Southern Conference champion in the 800m – ran in seven finals races in the event in the 2012 outdoor season, never finishing outside of the top ten. Keen placed in the top three six times, winning four. She set a personal best in the event on May 5 at the Bob Pollock Invitational – 2:07.68 – knocking three seconds off her conference championship time of 2:10.99. She enters the preliminary as the No. 37 seed out of 48.
Jamie Van Pelt won the hammer throw at the 2012 SoCon Championships with his school record-breaking throw of 193-0 (58.84m) which broke Phillip Johnson’s 13-year-old record of 183-8 set in 1999. The Tampa, Fla., native has competed in the hammer six times this season, with his lowest finish being ninth. His lone win in the event came at the SoCon Championships. Van Pelt is also the No. 37 seed for the hammer.
“It’s a great honor for both Jocelyn and Jamie to get selected,” said head coach Danny Williamson. “Both of these athletes have worked very hard this year and have earned the right to be a part of this process. We are looking for big things out of both of them because we feel like with both athletes, the best is yet to come.”
The first round of the 800m is set for Thursday evening at 8:35 p.m. with the semifinal to take place Friday at 7:15 p.m. for Keen to earn the opportunity to continue on to Des Moines, Iowa for the championship. The hammer is slated for 10:00 a.m. Friday morning. For live results, schedule of events and ticket information visit the track & field page of unfosprey.com
2012 Results
Jocelyn Keen • So. • Fuquay Varina, N.C.
Date Meet Event Finish Time/Mark
3/15 49er Classic 800m 2 2:09.56
3/24 Catamount Classic 800m 1 2:10.83
3/31 Mountains vs. Beaches 800m 1 2:10.68
4/7 Tiger Classic 800m 3 2:08.82
4/22 SoCon Championships 800m P 2:09.46
4/22 SoCon Championships 800m 1 2:10.99
5/5 Bob Pollock Invitational 800m 1 2:07.68
5/12 Georgia Tech Invitational 800m 9 2:08.26
PR: 800m-2:07.68
Jamie Van Pelt • Sr. • Tampa, Fla.
Date Meet Event Finish Time/Mark
3/17 49er Classic Hammer 4 54.99m
3/24 Catamount Classic Hammer 6 51.62m
3/31 Mountains vs. Beaches Hammer 3 55.06m
4/7 Tiger Classic Hammer 9 55.33m
4/22 SoCon Championships Hammer 1 58.84m$
5/12 Clemson Tiger Qualifier Hammer 4 57.66m
PR: Hammer-58.84m
