Blue Raiders Qualify for 12 events at the NCAA East Preliminary

5/16/2019 1:03:00 PM | Men's Cross Country and Track & Field, Women's Cross Country and Track & Field, BRAA, Track & Field/Cross Country

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross-Country Committee announced the participants for the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships preliminary competitions on Thursday afternoon.

With the committee's selections, 10 Blue Raiders qualified in individual events for the east preliminary rounds, along with two Middle Tennessee relay teams.

The preliminary competitions are scheduled for May 23- 25. The University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Will host the East Preliminary competition. The qualifiers out of the East will compete in the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 5-8 in Austin, Texas.

Edidiong Odiong is set to compete in the women's 200-meter preliminary event. The sophomore is ranked 17th overall, with a time of 23.20 in the race.

Meanwhile, Joycelyn Assafuah qualified to compete in the women's 400-meter race at the preliminary competition in Jacksonville. The senior ranks 35th among the east preliminary field (53.59).

On the men's side, Willington Wright qualified for the 400-meter preliminary event, ranking 28th among participants with a time of 46.41.

Abike Egbeniyi and Eusila Chepkemei both qualified for the women's 800-meter event. Egbeniyi ranks sixth overall with a time of 2:04.04 while Chepkemei is placed 19th among the field (2:05.94).

In the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase event, Kigen Chemadi punches his ticket to the preliminary event, ranking 10th with a time of 8:47.93. The Blue Raider junior also qualified for the men's 5,000-meter event, placing fifth among the field with a time of 13:46.84.

Likewise, Lebo Mosito also qualified for the men's 5,000-meter preliminary race, placing 43rd among the east competitors (14:08.71).

As a team, the women's 4x400 relay qualified for the preliminary event with a time of 3:38.27 and ranks 23rd among the east preliminary participants. Similarly, the men's 4x400 relay team also qualified for the preliminary race in Florida, placing 13th among the field (3:07.25).

On the field, senior Jacob Patten earns a spot in the men's high jump preliminaries. Patten ranks 46th with a height of 2.10-meters. Meanwhile, Fabian Edoki qualifies in the men's long jump with a distance of 8.00-meters and ranks sixth among the field of participants. Likewise, Isaac Odugbesan qualified for the men's shot put in the east preliminaries (21st, 18.37m).

East Preliminary Schedule of Events

Thursday, May 23
2:30 p.m. – Men's Long Jump, First Round
6:20 p.m. – Women's 400-meter, First Round
6:45 p.m. – Men's 400-meter, First Round
7:10 p.m. – Women's 800-meter, First Round

Friday, May 24
4:30 p.m. – Women's 400-meter, Quarterfinal
4:45 p.m. – Men's 400-meter, Quarterfinal
5:30 p.m. – Women's 800-meter, Quarterfinal
6:30 p.m. – Women's 200-meter, First Round
8:00 p.m. – Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase, Quarterfinal

Saturday, May 25
1:45 p.m. – Men's Shot Put
3:00 p.m. – Men's High Jump, Quarterfinal
6:35 p.m. – Women's 200-meter, Quarterfinal
7:45 p.m. – Men's 5,000-meter, Quarterfinal
8:25 p.m. – Women's 4x400-relay, Quarterfinal
8:45 p.m. – Men's 4x400-relay, Quarterfinal