Michigan
NCAA East Preliminary Rounds
Ofili, Middle-Distance Group Advance at Preliminary Rounds
5/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 28, 2015
Shannon Osika (L) and Brook Handler
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Site: Jacksonville, Fla. (Hodges Stadium)
Event: NCAA East Preliminary Rounds (Day 1)
U-M Team Result: Non-Scoring
Next U-M Event: Friday, May 29 -- at NCAA East Preliminary Rounds - Day 2 (Jacksonville, Fla.)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field team began its three-day weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds on Thursday (May 28), highlighted by four middle-distance runners advancing from the first round of the 1,500-meter race, in addition to a pair of 800m runners and junior sprinter/hurdler Cindy Ofili in the 100m dash. The event is hosted by the University of North Florida at Hodges Stadium, and all seven athletes who advanced will compete later in the weekend for a shot to punch a ticket to Eugene, Oregon, for the NCAA Outdoor Championships next month (June 10-13).
Each of the four Wolverines in the 1,500m race advanced to Saturday's (May 30) quarterfinal, with three qualifying automatically. U-M advanced senior Brook Handler (4:20.51) and junior Shannon Osika (4:20.65) automatically, as the duo went 3-4 in the final heat of the evening.
Senior/junior Laura Addison (4:22.95) placed fourth in the first heat, also qualifying on place, while sophomore/freshman Jaimie Phelan used her time of 4:21.99 to advance to Saturday's (May 30) quarterfinals.
Both senior/junior Devon Hoppe and true junior Danielle Pfeifer advanced from the first round of the 800m run to tomorrow's (Friday, May 29) quarterfinals, set to begin at 7 p.m. Pfeifer finished fourth, and Hoppe was one place behind her in fifth, running times of 2:06.49 and 2:06.60, respectively.
Junior Cindy Ofili finished third in the fourth and final heat of the 100m dash, running 11.601 to automatically qualify for tomorrow's quarterfinals, set for 6:30 p.m. She will also compete in the 100m hurdles, where she is seeded fourth in the region, tomorrow at 5 p.m., alongside sophomore Sami Michell.
In the lone semifinal of the day, sophomore Gina Sereno ran 34:47.40 for 16th place in the 10,000m run, missing the 12-woman group that punched its ticket to Eugene by less than 16 seconds. The race was just the second 10K of Sereno's career after she debuted in the event at the Big Ten Championships (May 15), finishing seventh to score for U-M.
Freshman Kayla Deering got things started for U-M, throwing the shot put 46-6.75 ft. (14.19m) in the first event featuring a Wolverine. In her first national-level meet in Maize and Blue, Deering fouled on her first and final attempts, leaving her second throw as the registered mark.
Deering did not advance to Eugene, but the weekend represents great experience for the Pigeon, Michigan, native, as she qualified for competition this weekend at the Big Ten Championships (May 17), launching a lifetime-best throw of 50-10.25 ft. (15.50m).
In the 400m hurdles, Michell crossed at 1:01.39. The time did not advance her to tomorrow's quarterfinals. Junior Maya Long also ran in the 400m race, clocking 54.31, but she also was unable to advance.
Competition in Jacksonville resumes Friday (May 29) at noon. For the Maize and Blue, action will pick up much later, with Cindy Ofili and Sami Michell competing in the 100m hurdles at 5 p.m.
N O T E S
• This evening's competition represented the first career action at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds for Sami Michell, Maya Long, Gina Sereno, Jaimie Phelan and Kayla Deering.
• Under associate head coach and distance coach Mike McGuire, the Maize and Blue has advanced at least one 1,500m runner to the NCAA Championships in three consecutive seasons, including Handler, who earned the seventh seed in 2014. Four Wolverines will have that opportunity on Saturday -- Handler, Osika, Phelan and Addison.
Personal Records
Devon Hoppe -- 800m run (2:06.60)
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
