Perry, 4x100 Advance to NCAA Championships

Saturday, May 28

Jacksonville, Fla.

All Day

NC State

NCAA East Preliminary

5/28/2016 9:48:00 PM | Track

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The NC State track and field team advanced two more entries to the NCAA Championships on the final day of the NCAA East Preliminary, bringing its total to six entries for nationals in Eugene, Ore.

The men's 4x100 team advanced to Eugene by winning their heat in 39.24. The relay consisted of Nyheim Hines, Jonathan Addison, Shannon Patterson and Quashawn Cunningham. Alexis Perry earned her second qualification, advancing to NCAAs in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.90.

Those two entries join Addison and Perry in the long jump and Sam Parsons and Luis Vargas in the 10,000m. The Pack earned its first four qualifications Thursday night.

Hurdles/Sprints
The Pack opened the track events with a quick start, rattling off a pair of NCAA qualifying marks.

The 4x100 team of Hines, Addison, Patterson and Cunningham won their heat with a PR of 39.24. The team lowered its personal best by .20 and moved within .15 of the school record.

Here's the entire race from the men's 4x100 national qualifying squad

A video posted by NC State Track & Field (@wolfpack_tf_xc) on May 28, 2016 at 3:44pm PDT

Just like its ACC Championships run, Patterson was the first runner to hand off his baton to the anchor leg, and Cunningham hammered home the the final leg for the win.

Underclassmen Hines, Patterson and Cunningham will make their first ever appearance at the NCAA Championships. Addison has advanced to the NCAA Championships five times and will compete in both the 4x100 and long jump in Eugene.

Hyped!
4x?? pic.twitter.com/7tQ25lcUUs
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) May 28, 2016

Moments after the 4x100 team booked its spot in the championships, Perry added her second qualifying mark of the weekend to the NCAA Championships, running a personal best 12.90. Perry finished second in her heat to clinch the qualifying spot.

Alexis Perry is heading to NCAAs with two marks! She qualifies in the 100h with a 12.90! pic.twitter.com/nzRaF3PHWs
— Pack Track & Field (@Wolfpack_TF) May 28, 2016

The senior has dipped under 13 seconds three times this season, improving her personal best each of the last three races. She entered the postseason with a PR of 13.14, but has shredded .24 off that mark the last two meets.

Perry's blistering 12.90 qualifies her for NCAAs! #STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/Z3SAFrtDmH
— Pack Track & Field (@Wolfpack_TF) May 28, 2016

Perry is set for a long jump and 100m hurdles double in Eugene. She is an All-American in each event.

In the 200m dash, Cunningham narrowly missed a top-12 and second NCAA qualification, finishing just three spots and .04 from the mark. The Charlotte, N.C., native finished fifth in his heat and 15^th overall in 20.63.

The 4x400 team of Will Krehnbrink, Cunningham, Patterson and Brian Davis concluded the night, finishing seven in their heat. Krehnbrink posted a strong opening leg, running under the 48-second mark.

Distance/Mid-distance:
Graham Crawford narrowly missed advancing to the 1,500m finals in a loaded field, finishing ninth in his heat and ninth overall in 3:44.92. Crawford was in the fast heat, and was just .54 of a second and two spots from advancing on time.

In the women's 1,500m, Megan Moye entered with the NCAA's second-best mark in the event and posted a strong race in the round of 48 to qualify for the tonight race, but a case of food poisoning kept Moye from advancing. She will have an opportunity to qualify for the USATF Olympic Trials and is less than two seconds from the mark in the event.

In the 5,000m, Alyssa Rudawsky, made her first appearance at the NCAA East Preliminary, finishing 19^th overall in 16.30.91. Rudawsky was ranked 33^rd heading into the competition, but finished 14 spots higher than her seed and just seven spots away from an NCAA Championships appearance.

Rudawsky caps off a strong postseason after making her regional appearance. She also earned All-ACC honors in the event at the ACC Outdoor Championships.

In the men's race, Sebastian Hanson crossed the finish line in 14:41.04, making his second-career regional appearance in the event.

In the final heat, Meron Simon finished 29^th in 14:38.11 to wrap up his season. Simon narrowly missed a steeplechase qualifying mark on Friday and made a strong attempt to qualify in tonight's race.

Throws:
Lauren Evans concluded her freshman season in the shot put, finishing with a mark of 45'2.50". Evans made big strides her opening season, grabbing big PRs in the hammer and shot put throughout the season.

Jumps:
Christopher Garrick cleared the bar at 6'8" to wrap up his season. Garrick posted an impressive freshman season, clearing the seven feet two times during the season and earning bronze at the ACC Outdoor Championships.

Javonne Antoine also concluded her season, jumping 39'1.25" in the triple jump. Antoine had a breakout sophomore year, advancing to regionals and earning All-ACC honors twice in the triple jump.

Up Next:
Seven athletes will travel to Eugene for the NCAA Championships June 9-12.