Lamarra Currie and Courtney Patterson make their second trip to the NCAA Championships after finishing 13th last season with Pat Springs and standout Shareese Woods. |
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Six Charlotte Women Qualify for NCAA Championships at Final Day of East Regional
May 31, 2008
Tallahassee, Fla. - Behind a 44.55 third-place overall finish in the 4x100m women's 4x100m relay, the Charlotte 49ers outdoor track and field teams advanced six student-athletes to the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships after posting qualifying performances at the East Regional at Florida State this weekend. Atlantic 10 Outdoor Women's Track Performer of the Year junior Lamarra Currie, who ran the second leg of the relay team, also recorded an automatic championship qualifying time of 11.72 (-1.6 wind) in the 100m dash.
"We had a tough time this weekend in Tallahassee," head coach Robert Olesen said. "The women's 4x100m did well and Lamarra got the job done in the 100m. Tsehaye and Pat didn't have their best performances but did what they needed to secure at-large bids. We need to figure out some things moving forward to the nationals, but as competitive as NCAA track and field is, advancing six women to the championship is a significant accomplishment. The ladies and staff should be commended."
Currie will be joined by teammates Lajarsha Moses, Courtney Patterson and Ebonie Cunningham at the NCAA Championships at Drake University June 11-14.
Senior steeplechase standout Tsehaye Dagnachew, who entered the 3000m ranked third in the region, finished the course in 10:35.61 for ninth place. On Friday, junior Pat Springs finished seventh in the long jump with a 6.02 leap, placing both she and Dagnachew in the at-large pool for advancement to the nationals, with the list of selected student-athletes officially announced Tuesday afternoon. Based on the results from the four regional championships, the duo should round out the qualifiers for the NCAA Championships.
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Also representing Charlotte on Saturday, Danielle Brown posted a 12.00m triple jump performance, while the 4x400m team of Yvonna Hines, Cunningham, Kortnie Coleman and Olivier Brown turned in a 3:45.65 showing. Patterson also contested in the 100m dash with relay teammate Currie.
On the men's side, junior Adu Dentamo placed sixth overall in the 3000m steeplechase with a 8:55.28 showing.
"Adu had a great race, breaking his own school record and just missing the automatice qualifying place by one spot," Olesen said. "He was ranked 18th coming into the race and finished sixth, so he really stepped up. He is in the at-large pool for a bid, but his time will not likely be fast enough to earn a bid."
Patterson, who is unofficially ranked eighth in the 100m at-large pool, and Dentamo, who is unofficially ranked 10th in the 3000m steeplechase at-large pool, await their advancment decision on Tuesday.
