KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ? The University of Kentucky track and field teams will be well represented at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships as four individuals and the men?s 4×400 relay squad earned automatic berths by way of their performance at Saturday?s Mideast Regional on the campus of the University of Tennessee.
?Overall, we were pleased with the performance,? head coach Don Weber stated following the meet. ?I think we could have done a little better in the throws but it is hard to have everything go your way. We had an excellent SEC meet and I think most of the team was able to carry over that success to tonight. I really think we have some chances to make some noise in Sacramento (NCAA Championships).?
Junior Andy Fryman added to his list of accomplishments by winning the regional shot put title with a throw of 61-10.25. Fryman also won the SEC outdoor crown two weeks ago in Fayetteville, Ark. The Maysville, Ky. native will head to the NCAA meet for a second straight season after earning an at-large berth in 2005.
Sophomore John Richardson punched his ticket to Sacramento with a regional runner-up showing in the 1,500 (3:45.11). Richardson, who won the event at the SEC Championships, will make his first NCAA Championships appearance and look to become UK?s first outdoor 1,500 All-American since Martin Clark in 1985.
Senior Ildiko Varga will close out her Kentucky career with a third consecutive NCAA appearance after placing fourth in the discus (168-5). In 2004, Varga placed seventh at the NCAA meet to earn All-America honors. Earlier this season, Varga rebroke her school record in the discus with a toss of 185-10 at the Mesa Classic (4/14).
Senior Dedrick Tillerson came through with a huge personal-best in the 400 hurdles (50.29) and earned his way to Sacramento with a fifth place finish. Tillerson?s mark was almost a full second better than his previous PR set in 2005.
Junior Georganne Way and sophomore Lavera Morris will both await word from an NCAA committee (Tuesday) after placing sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 800 finals. Way finished in 2:06.52, which was just shy of her personal-best mark of 2:06.39 (fourth all-time UK). Morris finished in 2:07.36. If selected, it would mark the first postseason appearance for both runners.
Freshman Jose Acevedo will also await word from the NCAA after finishing sixth in the 200 (21.39). Acevedo, who broke the UK frosh record in Friday?s prelims, will hope the strength of his personal-best (20.79) will earn him an invite to the Big Meet.
Senior Nicole Allyn ended her Kentucky career after finishing 17th in the hammer throw. Allyn will leave UK as the school record holder (194-7) in the event, a mark posted at the 2006 SEC Championships (5/12).
In routine fashion, the men?s 4×400 relay once again closed out a meet in dramatic fashion. The Cats took almost two seconds off of their already owned school record with a second place finish (3:02.97) and more importantly an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships. Kentucky?s time is currently the second fastest mark in the country behind regional and SEC champ LSU (3:02.21).
Not known as a team oriented meet, the men?s squad did finish tied with perennial NCAA champion Arkansas for seventh with 33 points. The women?s team placed 18th (13 pts.).
Up next, those who finished fifth through eighth will await word on potential at-large berths. Selection is expected to commence Tuesday. The NCAA Championships will be held June 7-10 in Sacramento, Calif. at the A.G. Spanos Sports Complex on the campus of Sacramento State.
