Spring Break
Georgia track team gets 19 NCAA qualifying marks at invite
Issue date: 5/10/09 Section: Sports
Georgia's track and field teams wrapped up their regular season by tallying 19 NCAA regional qualifying marks to highlight the Georgia Invitational on Saturday.
In addition to Georgia's success on the track, 14 team members also received their degrees from UGA during the spring commencement at Sanford Stadium on Saturday morning.
Saturday marked Georgia's final meet before the Southeastern Conference Championships arrive in Gainesville, Fla., on May 14-17.
"I may sound like a broken record, but this was a typical good home meet for us where most everything that happened was favorable," said head coach Wayne Norton, whose team hosted four meets during the outdoor season. "The women's throws and jumps either had (personal bests) or other close to that and they were just one group who did well today. With finals over, now they can concentrate on eating, sleeping and training well. I really think we are in the best shape we could be in with SECs next week."
Four Bulldog hammer throwers accounted for four of the regional marks. While senior Nate Rolfe led the charge by being the top collegiate finisher (214 feet, 1 inch) behind Olympian and former Bulldog Andras Haklits, Branislav Danis finished third overall with a best throw of 210-3. Despite opening with a trio of fouls, junior John Freeman had a top throw of 202-2 to edge David Schiedt (200-2), who broke 200 feet for the first time of his collegiate career.
Senior Julianne Toto, who graduated Saturday with a bachelor's degree in Psychology, made the final home meet of her collegiate career a memorable one with a win and a personal-best effort in the pole vault. After having a previous season-best mark of 12-8 at the Bulldog Limited, Toto went over the bar at a regional qualifying 13-5.25 on her second attempt to move to No. 4 on the school's all-time list and get into scoring position in the SEC.
Picking up his Geology diploma earlier in the day, senior Adam Sarafian tied his season-best mark in the pole vault and won the event with a regional qualifying mark of 16-6.75. John Egan was the second collegiate finisher (third overall) after reaching a height of 15-7.
Moving into sole possession of second place in the SEC, senior Kevin Dickson cleared a regional qualifying and personal-best height of 6-11.50 on his third and final attempt in the high jump to win. This was Dickson's second career-best mark in as many meets after the Oregon native reached a height of 6-10.75 at the Bulldog Limited for first place.
On the track, the Bulldogs managed a pair of regional qualifying times in the 200-meter dash. Freshman Torrin Lawrence grabbed his first regional mark of the season in an individual event after taking fourth overall (top collegiate finish) with a time of 21.16. Senior Justin Gaymon, who had already had a regional mark in the 400, 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles, clocked a 21.31 for his fourth regional qualifying time of the year as he took sixth place.
The Lady Bulldogs tallied a pair of regional marks in the women's discus. Senior Josipa Jelicic had her second-longest throw of the season with a regional qualifying mark of 162-9 for second place. Sophomore Rachel Travis had her second regional mark of the year as she placed third with a throw of 157-6 on her last throw.
Junior Tiffany Trotman saved her first regional qualifying mark of the season for her sixth and final attempt in the triple jump. Trotman recorded a jump of 40-8.75 to top Fort Valley State's Antionette Oglesby by 8 ΒΌ inches for the win. This gives Trotman the third-best jump in the SEC this season.
Also graduating, Ryley Miller completed his outdoor career at home with a victory for the Bulldogs. Miller recorded a season-best 1500 time of 3:52.77 to edge Shorter's Peter Limo (3:53.25) as Georgia freshman Matt Cleaver finished third with a time of 4:00.23. Miller graduated with a degree in Psychology.
The Bulldog 4x100 team - Dickson, Lawrence, senior Michael Proctor and freshman Phillip Adams - combined to improve their regional qualifying time with a time of 40.35. Georgia was the runner-up at the meet as the Bulldogs managed to trim .18 seconds off of the previous regional time they clocked at the Bulldog Limited.
Proctor came back to compete in the 100 and registered a regional qualifying time of 10.41. He was the third collegiate competitor to finish and seventh overall.
Junior Michelle Thompson won her sixth meet of the year in the javelin after opening with a throw of 165-8. This was another regional qualifying mark for Thompson as she prepares to travel to the SEC Championships as the top-ranked thrower.
Sophomore Georgina Nembhard clocked the second-best regional qualifying time (11.54) of her season in the 100 to grab the runner-up spot. Nembhard finished second in her heat to the event's winner, former NCAA champion Shalonda Solomon, who clocked an 11.35. Nembhard's fastest time of the season (11.48) came during the Spec Towns Invitational.
In her second event of the day, Nembhard sped to a career-best time of 23.69 in the 200 to tally her second regional qualifying mark of the day. Nembhard, who also finished second to Solomon (23.19) in this race, bettered her No. 8 time in school history.
In the men's shot put, junior Geno Atkins tallied his second regional qualifying mark of the year in just his second meet of the season. Atkins had a top mark of 55-11.75, despite having just two fair throws.
Sophomore Rachel Travis was the top collegiate finisher in the women's hammer with a personal-best throw of 165-2. Travis, whose best effort came on her fifth throw, finished third overall to improve her seventh spot in the school record books.
Travis returned in the shot put to win the event with a regional qualifying throw of 47-9.75. Freshman Eve Machovec managed third place after her third throw traveled 43-7.
McKayla Plank was the top collegiate finisher (second overall) in the 1500 after crossing the finish line in 4:34.03. Katie Weise (4:54.41) and Ilana McQuinn (4:58.33) finished behind Plank in that order.
In the women's long jump, sophomore Tierra Bagby equaled her season-best mark with an effort of 18-11.75 to take second as fellow sophomore Whitney Williams took third (18-5.25).
Roald Bradstock, a 47-year-old native of Great Britain, set a new American record in the javelin for his age group. Bradstock unleashed an effort of 237-10 on his third attempt to win the meet and record his top throw in five years.
Former Georgia Tech jumper Chaunte Howard, who competes for Nike now, topped the meet and facility record after clearing 6-6 in the high jump on her first attempt. This mark was the second-highest jump in the world this year.
Also of note, former Lady Bulldog All-American Jill Swope, who competed for Georgia as Jill Steffens before marrying another former Bulldog runner, Mike Swope, finished second in the women's 3000. The three-time SEC champion clocked a 9:50.95 to finish behind Lussi Elite's Kelly McNeice (9:40.10).
- Georgia Sports Communications
In addition to Georgia's success on the track, 14 team members also received their degrees from UGA during the spring commencement at Sanford Stadium on Saturday morning.
Saturday marked Georgia's final meet before the Southeastern Conference Championships arrive in Gainesville, Fla., on May 14-17.
"I may sound like a broken record, but this was a typical good home meet for us where most everything that happened was favorable," said head coach Wayne Norton, whose team hosted four meets during the outdoor season. "The women's throws and jumps either had (personal bests) or other close to that and they were just one group who did well today. With finals over, now they can concentrate on eating, sleeping and training well. I really think we are in the best shape we could be in with SECs next week."
Four Bulldog hammer throwers accounted for four of the regional marks. While senior Nate Rolfe led the charge by being the top collegiate finisher (214 feet, 1 inch) behind Olympian and former Bulldog Andras Haklits, Branislav Danis finished third overall with a best throw of 210-3. Despite opening with a trio of fouls, junior John Freeman had a top throw of 202-2 to edge David Schiedt (200-2), who broke 200 feet for the first time of his collegiate career.
Senior Julianne Toto, who graduated Saturday with a bachelor's degree in Psychology, made the final home meet of her collegiate career a memorable one with a win and a personal-best effort in the pole vault. After having a previous season-best mark of 12-8 at the Bulldog Limited, Toto went over the bar at a regional qualifying 13-5.25 on her second attempt to move to No. 4 on the school's all-time list and get into scoring position in the SEC.
Picking up his Geology diploma earlier in the day, senior Adam Sarafian tied his season-best mark in the pole vault and won the event with a regional qualifying mark of 16-6.75. John Egan was the second collegiate finisher (third overall) after reaching a height of 15-7.
Moving into sole possession of second place in the SEC, senior Kevin Dickson cleared a regional qualifying and personal-best height of 6-11.50 on his third and final attempt in the high jump to win. This was Dickson's second career-best mark in as many meets after the Oregon native reached a height of 6-10.75 at the Bulldog Limited for first place.
On the track, the Bulldogs managed a pair of regional qualifying times in the 200-meter dash. Freshman Torrin Lawrence grabbed his first regional mark of the season in an individual event after taking fourth overall (top collegiate finish) with a time of 21.16. Senior Justin Gaymon, who had already had a regional mark in the 400, 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles, clocked a 21.31 for his fourth regional qualifying time of the year as he took sixth place.
The Lady Bulldogs tallied a pair of regional marks in the women's discus. Senior Josipa Jelicic had her second-longest throw of the season with a regional qualifying mark of 162-9 for second place. Sophomore Rachel Travis had her second regional mark of the year as she placed third with a throw of 157-6 on her last throw.
Junior Tiffany Trotman saved her first regional qualifying mark of the season for her sixth and final attempt in the triple jump. Trotman recorded a jump of 40-8.75 to top Fort Valley State's Antionette Oglesby by 8 ΒΌ inches for the win. This gives Trotman the third-best jump in the SEC this season.
Also graduating, Ryley Miller completed his outdoor career at home with a victory for the Bulldogs. Miller recorded a season-best 1500 time of 3:52.77 to edge Shorter's Peter Limo (3:53.25) as Georgia freshman Matt Cleaver finished third with a time of 4:00.23. Miller graduated with a degree in Psychology.
The Bulldog 4x100 team - Dickson, Lawrence, senior Michael Proctor and freshman Phillip Adams - combined to improve their regional qualifying time with a time of 40.35. Georgia was the runner-up at the meet as the Bulldogs managed to trim .18 seconds off of the previous regional time they clocked at the Bulldog Limited.
Proctor came back to compete in the 100 and registered a regional qualifying time of 10.41. He was the third collegiate competitor to finish and seventh overall.
Junior Michelle Thompson won her sixth meet of the year in the javelin after opening with a throw of 165-8. This was another regional qualifying mark for Thompson as she prepares to travel to the SEC Championships as the top-ranked thrower.
Sophomore Georgina Nembhard clocked the second-best regional qualifying time (11.54) of her season in the 100 to grab the runner-up spot. Nembhard finished second in her heat to the event's winner, former NCAA champion Shalonda Solomon, who clocked an 11.35. Nembhard's fastest time of the season (11.48) came during the Spec Towns Invitational.
In her second event of the day, Nembhard sped to a career-best time of 23.69 in the 200 to tally her second regional qualifying mark of the day. Nembhard, who also finished second to Solomon (23.19) in this race, bettered her No. 8 time in school history.
In the men's shot put, junior Geno Atkins tallied his second regional qualifying mark of the year in just his second meet of the season. Atkins had a top mark of 55-11.75, despite having just two fair throws.
Sophomore Rachel Travis was the top collegiate finisher in the women's hammer with a personal-best throw of 165-2. Travis, whose best effort came on her fifth throw, finished third overall to improve her seventh spot in the school record books.
Travis returned in the shot put to win the event with a regional qualifying throw of 47-9.75. Freshman Eve Machovec managed third place after her third throw traveled 43-7.
McKayla Plank was the top collegiate finisher (second overall) in the 1500 after crossing the finish line in 4:34.03. Katie Weise (4:54.41) and Ilana McQuinn (4:58.33) finished behind Plank in that order.
In the women's long jump, sophomore Tierra Bagby equaled her season-best mark with an effort of 18-11.75 to take second as fellow sophomore Whitney Williams took third (18-5.25).
Roald Bradstock, a 47-year-old native of Great Britain, set a new American record in the javelin for his age group. Bradstock unleashed an effort of 237-10 on his third attempt to win the meet and record his top throw in five years.
Former Georgia Tech jumper Chaunte Howard, who competes for Nike now, topped the meet and facility record after clearing 6-6 in the high jump on her first attempt. This mark was the second-highest jump in the world this year.
Also of note, former Lady Bulldog All-American Jill Swope, who competed for Georgia as Jill Steffens before marrying another former Bulldog runner, Mike Swope, finished second in the women's 3000. The three-time SEC champion clocked a 9:50.95 to finish behind Lussi Elite's Kelly McNeice (9:40.10).
- Georgia Sports Communications
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