Track and field sending nine to NCAA prelims
School is out and the weather could not be better, but several athletes on the Central Michigan track and field team still have work to do.
CMU will send nine athletes to the NCAA East Preliminary Round, set for Thursday through Sunday in Greensboro, N.C.
The meet, hosted by North Carolina A & T State University, is part of a different format instituted by the NCAA this year. Instead of four regional sites like previous seasons, the opening round has been condensed to two meets, with the top 12 from both meets in each event advancing to nationals.
Track and field director Willie Randolph said the change in format makes it more difficult to get to this level and qualify for the NCAA championships.
“The reality of it is that we have a variety of national champion individuals and teams sitting within our region,” Randolph said. “The strength of it, going from Florida State, Florida, Alabama and Georgia – just increasing more southern schools – made it that more difficult. It’s harder.”
Senior Erika Schroll leads the women’s side that also consists of juniors Raeanne Lohner (10,000 meter) and Mykal Imbrock (hammer throw), and sophomore Dierra Riley (100 meter).
Schroll won her fourth consecutive title in the high jump at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships on May 15 in Buffalo, N.Y. She just missed All-American status at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, losing a jump off after tying for 12th place.
“I’m just going to go out there and jump,” Schroll said. “It kind of sucks just to miss it by that much. Is it motivation, yeah, but I’m just going to go out there and have fun and try and compete my best.”
Schroll has already qualified for the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 23-27 in Des Moines, Iowa.
On the men’s side, senior discus thrower Gregg Pilling will look to make his second trip to NCAAs. Pilling, currently ranked 16th in the nation, earned All-America honors last season after finishing eighth nationally.
Meanwhile, senior pole vaulter Marcus Breidinger has one last shot at NCAAs. Breidinger reached the outdoor regionals in 2006, 2007 and 2009 – he was redshirted in 2008 – but came up short of qualifying.
“It’s been a long road,” Breidinger said. “I don’t want it to be my last meet but, if it is, I want it to be the best I can do. I just want to go out there and perform as well as I can. If that doesn’t get me out (of prelims) that’s fine, just as long as I know I performed as well as I could have.”
Freshman Alex Rose (discus), sophomore Joshua Kettlewell (pole vault) and junior Branden Post (400 meter hurdles) round out the men’s side.
Randolph said the experience of Pilling, Schroll and Breidinger competing at this stage will help to keep the underclassmen confident and focused this week.
“Now it’s about who’s training is focused on getting to a national championship versus who’s training has been ready to get to a conference championships and shut it down after that,” he said.
NCAA Outdoor Championships are June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore.
