June 11, 2009
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –
Sprinter Rondel Sorrillo led the University of Kentucky track and field team by qualifying for two event finals on the first day of the 2009 NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at host University of Arkansas’ John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark., Wednesday.
Sorrillo advanced to two Friday event finals, one as an individual in the men’s 100m dash and the other as a member of the UK men’s 4x100m relay squad.
After more than a three-hour rain delay, the junior placed fifth in his 100m dash semifinal heat but qualified for the final by clocking in with the top at-large time outside of the top four automatic qualifiers from each heat. He turned in a time of 10.38 as both heats were slowed by track conditions after a three-hour weather delay.
Earlier in the evening, Sorrillo placed fourth in his first round heat of the 100m dash crossing the line in 10.30 – his personal-best time as a Wildcat. His time ranks eighth all-time at UK. Sorrillo advanced as an at-large qualifier to the 100m semifinals.
Running in the only event to schedule the first round and event semifinal on Wednesday, Sorrillo wouldn’t compete again until 11:45 p.m. ET for his final race of the day.
The men’s 4x100m relay team consisting of senior Gordon McKenzie, classmate Jose Acevedo, junior Kwasi Obeng and Sorrillo finished third in their semifinal heat and seventh overall in a season-best time of 39.21 to qualify for the final. The team’s finish tops the mark they set at the Mideast Regional two weeks ago that ranked third all-time at UK.
The first UK competitor to finish the day was junior Kristin Smith who finished 20th nationally in the women’s hammer throw after a distance of 182-1 in the qualifying round.
In the men’s shot put qualifying round, senior Rashaud Scott fouled on all three of his attempts to complete competition in the event.
All of the remaining Wildcats at nationals will begin competition on Thursday.
At 11:30 a.m. ET, throwers Ashley Muffet and Emilee Strot begin competition in the women’s discus. Muffet’s UK varsity record throw of 187-8 from last month ranks fourth nationally. She won the women’s discus conference title to earn All-SEC First Team honors and become the first women’s outdoor throwing event conference champion at Kentucky. Strot secured her second-straight at-large NCAA Outdoor Championship selection in the women’s discus. The senior’s season-best throw of 171-3 ranks 17th in country.
Senior Ashley Trimble begins day one of the women’s heptathlon at 12:15 p.m. At the SEC Championships last month she surpassed the automatic-qualifying point tally by accumulating 5,530 points to set the UK women’s varsity record in the event. Trimble’s point total ranks 11th nationally.
Scott will compete in his second event of the Championships Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET when he and fellow senior Chase Madison begin the qualifying round of the men’s discus. Scott will defend his 2008 national title in the event. Two weeks ago at the Mideast Regional he secured his second straight men’s discus regional championship after throwing personal-best mark of 216-2 that set the UK varsity record and leads the nation. Only eight men in the world have thrown the discus further in sanctioned competitions this year. Madison placed third at the regional to advance to his first NCAA Outdoor Championship meet as a Wildcat. His season-best throw of 196-7 stands seventh in the country.
Sorrillo will run in the first round of the 200 meter dash at 7:25 p.m. ET. Should he advance beyond the first round, his event semifinal would take place later that evening at 8:45 p.m. Two weeks ago at the Mideast Regional, Sorrillo crossed the finish line in 20.50 to break the 15-year-old UK varsity record of 20.54. His personal-best mark as a Wildcat ranks fifth nationally. In March, Sorrillo earned All-America honors in the 200m dash at the Indoor Championships by placing third in the nation while setting the UK varsity record in the indoor event.
The men’s 4x400m relay squad waits until the end of the second day to compete at 9:40 p.m. ET. The relay team consisting of Obeng, senior Stephan Smith, and classmate Brandon Austin and Acevedo will compete for the Cats in the four-lap event. The Wildcats’ season-best time of 3:05.77 ranks 12th nationally. Should the Cats advance to the final, they will be part of the live national broadcast on CBS Saturday as the last event of the Championships.
All field events will have a day of qualifying followed later in the week by the event final. Short-distance running events will have first round heats followed by semifinal heats and finally the event final on the third or fourth day. Relays and distance events will conduct just a semifinal and final round over two days.
Live stats will be available from the UKathletics.com homepage. Arkansas and CBS College Sports Television will be streaming portions of the event. The first two days will be streamed live in its entirety. On Friday evening, CBS College Sports Television will broadcast track event finals from the Championships live from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. ET. On Saturday, CBS TV will broadcast the running event finals live from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. ET.
A full recap of Wildcat performances and a preview of the next day’s events will be available after each day of competition on UKathletics.com.
Kentucky NCAA Championship Meet Participation Schedule – Day Two
Women’s Discus Qualifying – Thursday 11:30 a.m. ET
Ashley Muffet
Emilee Strot
Women’s Heptathlon Day One – Thursday 12:15 p.m. ET
Ashley Trimble
Men’s Discus Qualifying – Thursday 2:00 p.m. ET
Chase Madison
Rashaud Scott
Men’s 200 Meter Dash First Round – Thursday 7:25 p.m. ET
Rondel Sorrillo
Men’s 200 Meter Dash Semifinal – Thursday 8:45 p.m. ET
Rondel Sorrillo
Men’s 4×400 Meter Relay Semifinal – Thursday 9:40 p.m. ET
Kwasi Obeng / Stephan Smith / Brandon Austin / Jose Acevedo
