May 26, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Four members of the Auburn men's and women's track and field teams qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships and five more advanced within one round of the NCAA field during the opening day of competition Thursday at the 2011 NCAA East Region Preliminary Round.
"Today was a really big day," head coach Ralph Spry said. "Obviously the name of the game here is to advance to the next round, and we did a good job of that for the most part. Everybody that we thought would get through got through. We looked really solid, and if we come out tomorrow and have a day like we did today, we are going to put ourselves in a good position.
"Right now we are hitting on all cylinders, and we just have to keep it going for tomorrow. Again if we can keep competing like we did today, we are going to send two good teams to the NCAAs."
The Tigers advanced two men's field athletes to Des Moines, Iowa, for the NCAA Championships in the shot put. Redshirt freshman Stephen Saenz and freshman Marcus Popenfoose both qualified to compete in the NCAA Championship meet. Saenz finished the qualifying round in first place with a mark of 19.82 meters (65-0), which is a personal record, ranks No. 2 in the NCAA this season and takes the No. 3 spot in Auburn outdoor history. It is also the first time that Saenz has eclipsed the 65-0 mark. Popenfoose placed ninth with a mark of 18.10 meters (59-4.75). His mark is also a personal record and is tied for ninth in school history.
Freshman DJ Smith was the third Tiger to earn a spot to compete in Des Moines, finishing tied for 12th in the men's high jump. Smith, who placed third in the high jump at the SEC Outdoor Championships, cleared 2.17 meters (7-1.50) to advance to the championship meet.
Auburn was able to advance a fourth Tiger to the championship in the women's 10,000 meters, as senior Holly Knight finished eighth with a time of 33:51.26.
Auburn was unable to advance anyone to the men's javelin and the men's 1,500 meters as sophomore Tyler Kennedy finished in 26th with a throw of 60.56 meters (198-08) in the javelin and freshman Niklas Buhner finished 37th and posted a time of 3:54.23.
In the rest of Thursday's running events, the field of 48 was cut to 24, with one more round left in each event to determine which 12 athletes advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Senior Sheniqua Ferguson made the quarterfinals of the women's 100 meters by placing second in her heat and seventh overall with a time of 11.43.
Auburn advanced freshman Keenan Brock into the quarterfinals of the 100 meters. Brock was second in his heat and ninth overall in 10.38 seconds.
The Tigers advanced three women into the quarterfinals of the 100 meters. Senior Joanna Atkins, who leads the East Region in the 400 meters, posted a time of 53.71 seconds and placed fourth overall. Senior Cache Armbrister cruised to a time of 54.98 seconds placing 23rd. Junior CeCe Williams was 24th and captured the last spot to advance to the quarterfinals in 55.10 seconds.
Athletes that advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 100 meters and 400 meters will run for a spot at the NCAA Championships on Friday.
Competition at the NCAA Preliminary Round continues Friday with Auburn athletes competing in the men's and women's 100 meters, men's and women's 200 meters, women's 400 meters, women's steeplechase, and women's high jump.