Akron Track Sends 18 to the NCAA East Preliminaries

May 19 | Track & Field

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron track and field team will send 18 student-athletes to the NCAA East Regional, hosted by Indiana University in Bloomington from May 26-28, the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee announced Thursday.

In all, the Zips will compete in 21 events over the course of the three-day event at E.C. Billy Hayes Track with the opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championships, held from June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa. UA's Bjorn Johansson automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships by posting a winning score of 7,413 in the decathlon at the Mid-American Conference Championships last weekend in DeKalb, Ill.

Of UA's 18 preliminary qualifiers, 13 come from the 2011 MAC Indoor and Outdoor Champion men's team. Leading the way are defending MAC Champions Willie Brown (800m), Collister Fahie (long jump), Mike McCall (high jump), Kenny Owens (pole vault), Tyshaun Peoples (110 hurdles) and Tyler Sweet (javelin). Fahie, who recorded the second-best mark in school history by going 25-11.50 at the Texas Relays in April, will be one of three Zips competing in the long jump where he will be joined by Peoples and Daryl Baptiste.

Also earning a trip on the men's side are Nick Banke (discus and hammer), Max Hiltner (1500m), Eric Hubbard (hammer), KC LaCross (400 hurdles), Joe McCoy (steeplechase) and Joe Wesley (pole vault).

The women's team will send five athletes, competing in six events. Leading the way is 2010 Outdoor All-American Valerie Wert, who will compete in both the discus and hammer throw. Joining her will be a pair of pole vaulters, Ariane Beaumont-Courteau and Katherine Lee, as well as Brittany Funk, who will compete in the hammer, and two-time MAC Outdoor Steeplechase Champion Cassie Schenck.

The top 12 finishers in each qualifying round will advance to the NCAA Championships.

Men's East Qualifiers (seed)
Nick Banke, Discus (52.63/55-00) and Hammer (58.05/190-05)
Daryl Baptiste, Long Jump (7.42/24-04.25)
Willie Brown, 800m (1:48.13)
Collister Fahie, Long Jump (7.91/25-11.50)
Max Hiltner, 1500m (3:47.23)
Eric Hubbard, Hammer (60.89/199-09)
KC LaCross, 400 hurdles (51.85)
Mike McCall, High Jump (2.11/6-11)
Joe McCoy, 3000m Steeplechase (9:00.22)
Kenny Owens, Pole Vault (5.06/16-07.25)
Tyshaun Peoples, 110 hurdles (13.96) and Long Jump (7.69/25-02.75)
Tyler Sweet, Javelin (65.39/214-06)
Joe Wesley, Pole Vault (5.07/16-07.50)
Women's East Qualifiers (seed)
Ariane Beaumont-Courteau (3.97/13-00.25)
Brittany Funk, Hammer (55.57/182-04)
Katherine Lee, Pole Vault (4.15/13-07.25)
Cassie Schenck, 3000m Steeplechase (10:22.17)
Valerie Wert, Discus (53.56/175-09) and Hammer (59.0/192-10)