Michigan
NCAA Mideast Regional (Day 1)
Bickett, Boyle Punch Tickets for NCAA Championships
5/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Senior quad-captain Melissa Bickett (Akron, Ohio/Revere HS) and sophomore Elizabeth Boyle (Northbrook, Ill./New Trier HS) of the University of Michigan women's track and field team earned spots in the NCAA Championships with their performances Friday (May 28) at the NCAA Mideast Regional. Bickett won the discus and Boyle finished second in the pole vault on the first day of competition at Louisana State University's Bernie Moore Track Stadium, and five other U-M entries advanced to event finals.
With her second straight victory in the discus throw, Bickett will make her fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships in her signature event. Bickett won the event with the second farthest throw in her career, a distance of 186-3. The throw was just two inches shy of her personal-best and Michigan school-record mark of 186-5, which she set last year at the Penn Relays (4/26/03).
Bickett's winning mark bettered her nearest competitor by 4-2 as Kentucky's Ildiko Varga tossed the flying saucer 182-1. Last year at the Mideast meet, Bickett finished second in the event with a toss of 167-1.
Over in the infield, Boyle punched her ticket to Austin, Texas, and the NCAA Championships as the sophomore placed second in the pole vault with a height clearance of 13-1 3/4. With the second-place finish, Boyle will make her first appearance at the national championship meet. She also becomes the first Wolverine pole vaulter to ever qualify for the NCAAs.
Qualifying for event finals Saturday (May 28) were Lindsey Gallo (Freehold, N.J./Howell HS), Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame HS), Carly Knazze (Southfield, Mich./Southfield HS), Jessie Allen-Young (Loveland, Colo./Thompson Valley HS) and Michigan's 4x100-meter relay team.
Gallo earned her trip to the finals of the 1,500-meter run with a victory in the first heat of the event in a time of 4:18.39. The time was her second best of the season as she looked very strong and in control of the race from the firing of the gun. Allen-Young will join Gallo in the final as she placed second in heat two with a season-best time of 4:25.68.
Hauser-Price actually qualified in three events as she placed third in heat one of the 100-meter dash with a season-best 11.57, tied for third in the second heat of the 200-meter dash with fellow Wolverine Knazze, as the two clocked in at 23.57, and teamed with Knazze, Robin Landfair (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) and Chanelle Campbell (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock HS) to make the 4x100-meter relay final with a season-best 45.37.
The Wolverines conclude action at the NCAA Mideast Regional Saturday afternoon with Jennifer Kulchar (Atherton, Mich./Burton HS) starting things off in the high jump.
Top 10 Teams (After Day 1)
1. Arkansas 14 2. Louisana State 10 Akron 10 4. Ohio State 9 5. MICHIGAN 8 6. Alabama 8 7. Illinois 5 Tennessee 5 9. Missouri 4 10. Indiana State 3
Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day 1)
100-meter Dash (Prelims) Heat 3 1. Muna Lee, LSU 11.07Q 3. Sierra Hauser-Price, U-M 11.57q 200-meter Dash (Prelims) Heat 2 1. Muna Lee, LSU 22.47Q! 3. Sierra Hauser-Price, U-M 23.57q Carly Knazze, U-M 23.57q 800-meter Run (Prelims) Heat 4 1. Neisha Bernard-Thomas, LSU 2:05.66Q 7. Anna Jones, U-M 2:10.26 1,500-meter Run (Prelims) Heat 1 1. Lindsey Gallo, U-M 4:18.39Q Heat 2
1. Tiffany McWilliams, Miss. St. 4:16.42Q 2. Jessie Allen-Young, U-M 4:25.68q 100-meter Hurdles (Prelims) Heat 3
1. Lolo Jones, LSU 13.06Q 3. Robin Landfair, U-M 13.69 400-Meter Hurdles (Prelims) Heat 4 1. Markita James, Auburn 58.53Q 2. Vera Simms, U-M 1:00.19 4. Keri Kirk, U-M 1:01.90 4x100-meter Relay (Prelims) Heat 1 1. Louisiana Tech 44.59Q 3. Michigan 45.37q (Robin Landfair, Chanelle Campbell, Carly Knazze, Sierra Hauser-Price) Pole Vault 1. Kira Sims, Akron 13-5 3/4* (4.11m) 2. Elizabeth Boyle, U-M 13-1 3/4* (4.01m) 15. Kelly Catino, U-M 11-10 3/4 (3.75m) -- Lynn Gasparella, U-M NH Discus Throw 1. Melissa Bickett, U-M 186-3* (56.78m) 24. Bridgette Maynard, U-M 146-3 (44.57m) Hammer Throw 1. Britney Henry, LSU 205-11* (62.76m) 12. Melissa Bickett, U-M 175-6 (53.49m) 17. Ashley Eckel, U-M 168-11 (51.49m) Qq indicates qualification for finals * Qualified for NCAA Championships
! Bernie Moore Track Stadium record
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
