May 28, 2010
Austin, Texas - Stanford finished day to of the NCAA Preliminary Rounds with several more athletes punching their tickets to the final rounds in Eugene. The Cardinal showed its depth as a team with athletes from the sprints, hurdles, distances and the field all moving though to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The men got big results in the 400-meter hurdles as Amaechi Morton and Durell Coleman both advanced to Eugene. Morton won his heat in 49.19, which was just off his school record and the second-fastest time in school history. Coleman placed third in his heat and seventh overall to also advance with a career-best time of 50.24. The time moved Coleman to second place all-time on the Stanford 400 hurdle list. Before last season the Stanford 400-meter hurdles record had stood for 38 years and now Morton and Coleman have both gone under it.
Joining Morton and Coleman in Eugene will be JT Sullivan in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The Cardinal junior ran a time of 8:52.50 to earn the ninth of 12 qualifying spots. Benjamin Johnson also compete in the event, but did not advance, running a time of 9:10.13.
In the field, Carter Wells led the way placing 15th in the hammer, but did not advance. The redshirt junior tossed 196-11. Jules Sharpe cleared 6-9 in the high jump, but tied for 20th and also did not advance. Finally, Casey Roche competed in the pole vault, but did clear his opening height.
The Cardinal women had three athletes compete in the 100 meters with freshman Carissa Levingston leading the way. Levingston placed third in her heat with a collegiate-best time of 11.51 to qualify for the NCAA finals in Eugene. Just the top 12 advanced and Griffin Matthew and Shataya Hendricks finished on the outside looking in. Matthew placed 16th overall with a time of 11.66, while Hendricks was 18th with a season-best run of 11.78.
Competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and also advancing to Eugene was Madeleine O'Meara. The fifth-year senior earned her first trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a career-best time of 10:20.30.
In the field, Arantxa King punched her ticket to Eugene after finishing eighth in the long jump. The Cardinal junior leaped 20-11 3/4 to earn trip back to the NCAA Championships. King was the only Stanford competitor of the five competing in the event to advance. Matthew just missed, placing 13th (20-4 1/4), while Whitney Liehr placed 22nd (19-7 1/2), Karynn Dunn was 24th (19-6 3/4) and Brittni Dixon-Smith was 39th (19-1 1/4).
The Cardinal will be back on the track Saturday for the conclusion of the preliminary rounds in Austin. Several more athletes will look to move on to the final rounds in Eugene.