Track and Field Digest
Seven Penguins Qualify For NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Preliminaries
by YSU
Sunday, May 24, 2015 9:49 am
Seniors Jessica Parham (javelin) and Eric Rupe (3,000-meter steeplechase), juniors Jay Jakovina (high jump) and Austin McLean (3,000-meter steeplechase) and sophomores Arnaldo Morales (high jump) and Conner Neu (hammer throw) have qualified for the second straight year while freshman Carl Zallow (100-meters) advanced for the first time.
Parham is ranked 20th in the javelin with a throw of 48.05 meters, a school and Horizon League record that came on May 1. Parham, who finished 34th in the javelin with a throw of 43.69 (143-4) in 2014 at the Regionals, will compete Thursday, May 28, at noon.
Neu will also compete in the hammer throw on May 28 at noon and is ranked 31st this year with a heave of 62.70 meters which came on May 8. Last season at the East Preliminaries, Neu finished fourth an impressive throw of 66.19m (217-2), which broke a school record, and qualified him for the NCAA Championships.
Zallow, who ranked 40th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.51 seconds, will compete on Thursday at 6:55 p.m. Zallow's season-best time came on April 18 at the Slippery Rock Dave Labor Invitational.
On Friday, May 28, Morales and Jakovina will compete in the high jump at 5 p.m. while McLean and Rupe will run in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 9:30 p.m.
Morales ranked 19th with a jump of 2.12 meters and Jakovina ranked 35th with a leap of 2.09 meters. Morales's top mark was on April 4. He and Jakovina each eclipsed the bar at 2.09 meters last time out at the Campbell Wright Invitational.
Last season, Jakovina placed tied for 34th after clearing 2.05 meters (6 feet, 8 3/4 inches) on his second attempt. Morales finished 45th with a jump of 2.0 meters (6-6 3/4).
In the steeplechase, McLean is ranked 26th with a time of 8:53.17 while Rupe ranked 43rd with a time of 8:58.52. McLean's qualifying performance came on April 3 at the Stanford Invitational while Rupe, posted his top performance on May 2 to win the Horizon League championship in the event.
In 2014, McLean set a personal best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:51.70 and finished 18th and Rupe finished 34th with a time of 9:07.35.
YSU Events at NCAA East Regional
Thursday, May 28
Noon - Javelin | Jessica Parham
Noon - Hammer Throw | Conner Neu
6:55 p.m. - 100m Dash | Carl Zallow
Friday, May 29
5 p.m. - High Jump | Jay Jakovina and Arnaldo Morales
9:30 p.m. - Steeplechase | Austin McLean and Eric Rupe
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