June 2, 1998

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Five members of the University of Kentucky track and field teams have advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 3-6, at State University-Buffalo. Roshell Russell, Shonna Johnson and Ola Sesay will compete for the women’s team, while Matt Kavanaugh and Jeff Ellis will represent the Kentucky mens squad.

Russell is making her third trip to the NCAA finals and will compete in the women’s

400-meter dash on Thursday. The junior All-American is seeded 12th with a time of 52.37, earned at the Texas Invitational. In her last outing, Russell tallied a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash at the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships. Johnson, a Louisville native, will make her first trip to the NCAA finals.

Also a No. 12 seed, Johnson will compete in the 100-meter hurdles on Thursday. The junior qualified at the SEC Outdoor Championships in May with a third-place finish.

Sesay is the Wildcats only dual competitor. The freshman All-American will compete in the long and triple jumps during the four-day event. Sesay earned a No. 8 seed in the long jump and a 15th seed in the triple jump. This will be the Maryland natives second trip to an NCAA final this season. Sesay recorded an 11th place finish in the long jump at the NCAA Indoor Nationals with a mark of 1910.75″. Ellis, a fellow freshman, will make his first trip to an NCAA final. Ellis made an impressive showing at the SEC Outdoor Championships, placing third in the 400-meter hurdles that earned him a 20th seed in this weeks competition.

Kavanaugh will also make his inagural trip to the NCAA finals. After a third-place finish at the SEC Outdoor Championships, Kavanaugh earned a 17th seed in the hammer-throw competition. The sophomore will compete in the finals of the event on Friday.