BLOOMINGTON, IND. ? Indiana State sophomore Felisha Johnson will compete in two events during the 2011 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championship finals at Drake University (June 8-10) after placing ninth in the women's shot put today during the second day of the East Preliminary Round competition at the Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex on the campus of Indiana University.
Johnson established a new personal best and placed ninth in the competition with a throw of 54'-3.75” (16.55 meters). Indiana senior Faith Sherrill had the top throw of the day as she went 57'-5.5” (17.51 meters) with Virginia Tech freshman Samira Burkhardt second (55'-10.5”/17.03 meters) and Purdue senior Stacey Wannemacher third (55'-9”/16.99 meters).
The sophomore is the first Sycamore women thrower to compete in two events at the NCAA Championship finals since Jenny Folz competed in the hammer throw and shot put at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Folz went on to finish 11th in the hammer to earn All-American recognition.
“It was a great day for Felisha,” Angie Martin, Indiana State women's track & field coach said. “It's pretty cool that she joins some elite company of Indiana State throwers competing at the finals and the first one to compete in two events at the same finals since 1999. She was really focused today and I think that Kelsey (Hanley) will be just as focused tomorrow in the discus.”
The Sycamore sophomore will enter the National Finals with the 11th best throw in the preliminary rounds. The West Preliminary competition was held Thursday with Arizona sophomore Julie Labonte having the top throw of 58'-10” (17.93 meters). Arizona sophomore Alyssa Hasslen had the second best throw at 56'-2” (17.12 meters) with Southern Illinois junior Jeneva McCall third (54'-1.25”/16.49 meters).
Johnson had the third best throw all-time at 51'-7.75” (15.74 meters) which she tossed during the 2011 Billy Hayes Invitational on May 6. She now ranks second on the Sycamore All-Time list as she moved past Folz who had a throw of 51'-9.25” (15.78 meters) in 1999. Johnson is also closing in on school record holder and All-American Christy Barrett who had a throw of 56'-10.75” (17.34 meters) in 1991.
The Sycamore thrower qualified for the women's hammer throw on Thursday with the fourth best distance of the competition at 199'-8” (60.85 meters). Virginia Tech senior Dorotea Habazin had the top throw (221'-6”/67.51 meters) with Western Kentucky senior Laura Iguane second (209'-8”/63.90 meters), and Georgia junior Nikola Lomnicka third (206'-3”/62.88 meters).
Johnson will enter the National Finals with the 10th best throw in the preliminary rounds. The West Preliminary competition was completed today with UNLV junior Amanda Bingson posting the top distance of 222'-10” (67.92 meters). Southern Illinois junior Jeneva McCall had the second best throw (220'-7”/67.24 meters) with UNLV junior Chelsea Cassulo third (207'-5”/63.24 meters).
Also today, ISU freshman Greggmar Swift advanced to the quarterfinals of the men's 110 meter high hurdles after running the 14th fastest time in the preliminary round of 14.20. The top 24 runners advance to the quarterfinals which will be run at 7:20 p.m. (ET) Saturday. Kentucky junior Keith Hayes had the fastest time in the preliminaries of 13.82 with Syracuse freshman Donald Pollitt the last qualifier at 14.38.
Indiana State senior Michael Roberts completed an outstanding career as a Sycamore hurdler as he ran 14.56 and finished 36th overall. Roberts placed 33rd in the event during the 2010 East Preliminary.
The senior has placed in the top five of the 110 meter hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships all four years including a pair of second place finishes in 2009 and 2010. He was fourth this year and fifth in 2008. Roberts has a personal best 14.21 in the 110 hurdles which he ran in the finals of the event at the 2011 MVC Outdoor Championships. He also has the 10th best indoor 60 meter hurdle time of 7.97 which he ran in finishing second at the 2011 MVC Indoor Championships. He was third in the 60 hurdles at the 2010 MVC Championships and second in 2009.
Junior Andrew Stull competed in his first East Preliminary competition and placed 39th in a very competitive men's 200 meter preliminaries with a time of 21.79. The junior was just a second off the pace set by Florida State junior Maurice Mitchell who had the fastest time of 20.60 and was just behind Appalachian State junior Dennis Moore who was the last qualifier for Saturday's quarterfinals with a time of 21.43.
Stull is making his first trip to the post season after finishing third in the 200 meters at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a personal best time of 21.19 which is the 10th best in school history. He was second in the event at the 2010 MVC Outdoor Championships.
Junior Ernest Rollins also competed in his first East Preliminary competition and placed 30th in the men's triple jump with a leap of 48'-10.5” (14.89 meters). Florida junior Christian Taylor had the top distance in the competition at 54'-10.25” (16.72 meters).
The junior established his personal best distance in the triple jump (the sixth best in school history) of 49'-11” (15.21 meters) in placing second at the 2011 MVC Outdoor Championships after finishing second in 2010 and fourth in 2009. Rollins won the 2011 MVC Indoor Championship in the event with a personal best distance of 48'-10.75” (15.04 meters) which is the 10th best in school history. He was second at the MVC Indoor Championships in 2010 and third in 2009.
Senior Michael Disher competed in his third men's 3000 meter steeplechase at the East Preliminary and placed 36th with a time of 9:10.00. Louisville senior Matt Hughes had the fastest time of the night at 8:35.74 with Indiana junior Andy Weatherford the last qualifier for the National Finals as he was 12th in 8:46.62.
Disher placed 31st at the 2010 East Preliminary and was 22nd at the Mideast Regional in 2009. The senior has ISU's third best time in the steeplechase of 8:55.37 which he ran at the 2010 ISU Quadrangular. He has finished in the top three of the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships in each of the last three years including winning the title in 2010, finishing second this year, and placing third in 2009. His season best time of 8:59.21 was recorded at the Indiana Invitational.
The final day of competition begins at 11 a.m. Saturday with Hanley returning to compete in the women's discus. Greggmar Swift will run in the quarterfinals of the men's 110 high hurdles at 7:20 p.m.
