Pendleton to Make Second Straight Trip to NCAA Championships

Saturday, May 28

Bloomington, Ind.

11:00 AM

Michigan

NCAA Preliminary Round

Pendleton to Make Second Straight Trip to NCAA Championships

5/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field

May 28, 2011

Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex)
Event: NCAA East Preliminary Round (Day 3 of 3)
U-M Team Standing: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Wed-Sat., June 8-11 -- at NCAA Championships (Des Moines, Iowa), 3 p.m. CDT

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Sophomore Erin Pendleton (Lindsey, Ohio/Woodmore) punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships for the second straight season as the University of Michigan women's track and field team wrapped up action at the NCAA East Preliminary Round on Saturday (May 28) at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex.

Pendleton finished ninth in the discus with a throw of 51.55 meters (169-01) on her final attempt to advance to NCAAs. Her second-best throw of 51.19 meters would have held up to send her to the national meet if she had not hit 51.55 on her last attempt. Redshirt junior Allison Liske (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland East) took 33rd in the event with a toss of 45.73 meters (150-00).

Junior hurdler Julian Purvis (Oakland, Calif./St. Elizabeth) missed advancing to the NCAA Championships in the 100-meter hurdles, crossing in 13.45. She finished sixth in her heat, propelling her to 16th overall.

Michigan's final participant on the final day of competition was junior Mary Grace Pellegrini (Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manual) in the 5,000-meter run, where she finished 17th in her heat for 36th overall (17:02.88).

Pendleton and redshirt freshman Kiley Tobel (Commerce Twp., Mich./Walled Lake Western) will represent Michigan at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, to be held June 8-11 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. Pendleton will compete in the discus, while Tobel will participate in the pole vault.

Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day Three)

Quarterfinals Discus 1. Annie Alexander, Tennessee                     58.55m (192-02)q 9. Erin Pendleton, U-M                            51.55m (169-01)q33. Allison Liske, U-M                             45.73m (150-00) 100-meter Hurdles 1. Letecia Wright, Ohio State                     12.97q16. Julian Purvis, U-M                             13.45 5,000-meter Run 1. Emily Infeld, Georgetown                    15:55.5036. Mary Grace Pellegrini, U-M                  17:02.88

• Previous Results: Day Two | Day One

N O T E S

• In first-round action, the top 24 athletes advance to the quarterfinal round. In quarterfinal action, the top 12 athletes advance to the NCAA Championships.

• This is the second year of the NCAA Preliminary Round system.

• Allison Liske was the only Wolverine to participate in two events. She competed in the shot put and discus.

• It is the second consecutive season that Michigan only qualified field athletes for the NCAA Championships.

• Michigan sent 12 athletes to the NCAA East Preliminary Round. Alisha Cole was the only Wolverine to not participate, pulling out of the 200-meter dash with a hamstring injury.

Contact: Sarah VanMetre (734) 763-4423