Molly Leppelmeier Advances to NCAA Championships
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Molly Leppelmeier of the Kentucky women’s track and field team advanced to the NCAA Championships and seven more Wildcats moved forward to Saturday’s quarterfinal action during Thursday’s NCAA East Preliminaries at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida.
There are no team scores in the Preliminaries, as the goal is to advance individuals and relays to the NCAA Championships, set for June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore. The top 12 finishers in each Preliminaries event advance; some of the events in Jacksonville have only one round of competition while others require two rounds.
The Preliminaries began Wednesday with men’s competition. The men’s and women’s second day will be Friday and Saturday, respectively.
On Thursday, for the second consecutive day, a UK field event competitor got the Wildcats going. After fouling her first attempt at the hammer throw, Molly Leppelmeier slung the weight 211’6″/64.46 meters, just six inches shy of her career best. She needed the clutch throw to land in 11th place and make it through to the nationals.
Kentucky’s Saturday qualifiers were highlighted by the 1500-meter performance of Tori Herman, who improved her own UK freshman record to 4:16.55, a mark that is No. 3 in UK history.
UK runners who earned a qualifying time to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals include:
- Four Wildcats in the 100m hurdles
- Faith Ross with a time of 12.91w (+2.2); would have been a personal best if not for the wind-aided mark
- Masai Russell in 13.13 seconds
- Amaya Chadwick, 13.15 seconds is a personal best and No. 8 on the all-time UK list
- Darci Khan with a time of 13.15w (+3.0)
- Herman in the 1500m (see above)
- Celera Barnes in the 100m, 11.37 seconds
- Megan Moss in the 400m, 52.39 seconds is a personal best and improves her No. 5 time in UK history
- Ross and Russell in the 400m hurdles, clocking 58.43 and 58.55, respectively
The men’s competition resumes Friday with field events at 1 p.m. and running events at 5:30 p.m. Kentucky will have 12 entries looking to earn their nationals ticket.
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Wednesday, May 26 |
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Time |
Events |
Round |
UK Entry |
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1:30 PM |
First Round |
28. Charles Lenford Jr.: 200’11″/61.24m |
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3 PM |
First Round |
10. Trey Causey III: 24’10.5″/7.58, advance to Eugene |
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3 PM |
First Round |
T1. Keaton Daniel: 17’6.5″/5.35m, advance to Eugene 16. Joseph Jardine: 16’10.75″/5.15m | Personal best 22. Dalton Shepler: 16’10.75/5.15m | Personal best 28. Lincoln Young: 16’4.75″/5.00m |
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6 PM |
First Round |
10. Josh Sobota: 61’6.25″/18.75m, advance to Eugene | Season best 11. Charles Lenford Jr.: 61’5″/18.72m, advance to Eugene | Season best |
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6 PM |
First Round |
1. Tai Brown: 13.47wQ (+2.7), advance to quarterfinals on Friday |
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6:30 PM |
First Round |
14. Dylan Allen: 3:44.25q, advance to quarterfinals on Friday 32. Jake Allen: 3:47.18 |
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7 PM |
First Round |
11. Lance Lang: 10.20Q (+1.3) advance to quarterfinals on Friday | No. 4 on all-time UK list 34. Rodney Heath Jr.: 10.38w (+2.7) |
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7:25 PM |
First Round |
6. Dwight St. Hillaire: 45.46Q, advance to quarterfinals on Friday |
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8:20 PM |
First Round |
5. Kenroy Williams: 50.67Q, advance to quarterfinals on Friday |
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8:45 PM |
First Round |
5. Lance Lang: 20.39Q (+1.5), advance to quarterfinals on Friday |
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9:10 PM |
Semifinal |
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Thursday, May 27 |
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Time |
Event |
Round |
UK Entry |
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1:30 PM |
First Round |
11. Molly Leppelmeier: 211’6″/64.46m, advance to Eugene 32. Jade Gates: 189’6″/57.76m |
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3 PM |
First Round |
36. Siobhan Szerencsits: 12’10.25″/3.92m |
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6 PM |
First Round |
30. Nicole Fautsch: 50’7.25″/15.42m Molly Leppelmeier, Foul |
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6 PM |
First Round |
7. Faith Ross: 12.91wQ (+2.2), advances to quarterfinals on Saturday 17. Masai Russell: 13.13Q (+1.5) 21. Amaya Chadwick: 13.15q (+1.5) | PB, No. 8 on UK all-time list 22. Darci Khan: 13.15wq (+3.0) 26. Shadajah Ballard: 13.34w (+2.2) |
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6:30 PM |
First Round |
7. Tori Herman: 4:16.55Q | PB, No.3 on UK all-time list, improves UK freshman record |
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7 PM |
First Round |
12. Celera Barnes: 11.37Q (+1.2), advances to quarterfinals on Saturday |
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7:25 PM |
First Round |
6. Megan Moss: 52.39Q | PB, improves No. 5 mark on UK all-time list, advances to quarterfinals on Saturday |
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8:20 PM |
First Round |
12. Faith Ross: 58.43Q 15. Masai Russell: 58.55q |
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8:45 PM |
First Round |
27. Abby Steiner: 23.59 (+1.2) 33. Dajour Miles: 23.77 (+1.1) |
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Friday, May 28 |
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Time |
Event |
Round |
UK Entry |
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1 PM |
First Round |
Fl. 2: Rahman Minor |
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1:30 PM |
First Round |
Fl. 3 of 3: Charles Lenford Jr., Josh Sobota |
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3:15 PM |
First Round |
Fl. 1: Joseph Palmer |
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5:30 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 1 of 3, Ln. 5: Kentucky |
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5:45 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 1 of 2: Dylan Allen |
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6:10 PM |
Semifinals |
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6:45 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 1 of 3, Ln. 5: Tai Brown |
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7:05 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 2 of 3, Ln. 7: Lance Lang |
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7:20 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 1, Ln. 5: Dwight St. Hillaire |
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7:35 PM |
Quarterfinals |
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7:55 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 1 of 3, Ln. 7: Kenroy Williams |
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8:10 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 1 of 3, Ln. 5: Lance Lang |
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8:30 PM |
Semifinals |
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9:15 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Ht. 2 of 3: Ln. 2: Kentucky |
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Saturday, May 29 |
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Start |
Saturday Events |
Round |
UK Entry |
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1:00 PM |
First Round |
Annika Williams, Carly Hinkle |
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1:30 PM |
First Round |
Nicole Fautsch, Molly Leppelmeier |
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3:15 PM |
First Round |
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5:30 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Kentucky |
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5:45 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Tori Herman |
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6:10 PM |
Semifinals |
Perri Bockrath |
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6:45 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Faith Ross, Masai Russell, Darci Khan, Amaya Chadwick |
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7:05 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Celera Barnes |
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7:20 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Megan Moss |
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7:35 PM |
Quarterfinals |
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7:55 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Faith Ross, Masai Russell |
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8:10 PM |
Quarterfinals |
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8:30 PM |
Semifinals |
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9:15 PM |
Quarterfinals |
Kentucky |
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