North Carolina State University Athletics
Track Set for Big Weekend at NCAA Regional Championships
5/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Track
May 25, 2004
Raleigh, N.C. - The NC State track & field team will be competing this weekend at the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track & Field East Regional Championships being hosted by Florida in Gainesville, Fla. The competition on both days is scheduled to end at 7:30 p.m. The top five athletes in each event will automatically advance to the NCAA Championship meet at Texas June 9-12. The men's team will have six athletes competing in six events, while the women's squad will send 11 athletes for seven events.
On the men's side, senior Andy Smith comes in as the highest ranked Wolfpack competitor. Smith, who has won two straight ACC title's in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, is the second seed in that same race with a top time of 8:43.20 this season. Another top distance runner is freshman Bobby Mack, the sixth seed in the 5,000 meters with a top time of 14:08.22. Monterrio Adams will run in the 400 meters for the second straight year, he is the 13th seed with a top time of 46.84. The Wolfpack men will also send three participants for the field events. Freshman Mitchell Pope is the highest seed, as he ranks third in the East in the shot put with a top distance of 18.69. Senior James Rowell will throw in the discus, he is the sixth seed with a top heave of 55.98 meters this season. Eric Holverstad will see action in the pole vault, he ranks 20th by clearing 5.00 meters.
On the women's side, sprinter Ebony Foster will have a busy weekend, as she is slated to compete in three different races. Foster, the ACC Champion in the 100 meter hurdles, is the top seeded competitor in that race with a top time of 12.98 this season. Foster is also the fourth seed in the 200 meters with a top time of 23.51, and will be part of the Wolfpack's 4x100 meter relay team, along with Felicia Fant, Courtney Patterson and Joya Rodgers. Fant will also be running in three events. In addition to being part of the 4x100 relay squad, Fant is the third seed in the 100 meters (11.43) and the 13th seed in the 200 meters (23.68). NC State will have multiple runners in both the 3,000 meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters. NC State has three of the top-11 seeds in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Lucinda Hull is the fourth seed (10:19.01), Kristina Roth is the sixth seed (10:27.56), and Claudin Hull is the 11th seed (10:32.07). In the 5,000 meters, NC State has two runners seeded sixth or higher. Renee Gunning is the fourth seed with her top time of 16:09.74, while Julia Lucas comes in as the sixth seed having run a 16:14.83. Josianne Lauber will also run in that race, she is seeded 32nd with a time of 16:50.76. Kelly Smoke will compete in the discus, she ranks 12th in that event with a top mark of 47.90 meters this year.
