Track & Field to Send 14 Athletes to the NCAA East Prelims
5/19/2016 3:39:00 PM | Track and Field
Women's Qualifiers | Men's Qualifiers | NCAA East Prelims Homepage
NEW YORK - A total of 14 Columbia track & field athletes will take part in the 2016 NCAA East Prelims, announced today by the NCAA. The women's team qualified 10 athletes for the meet in Jacksonville, Florida on May 26-28, while the men advanced four runners to the event.
"We are very excited about this group of student-athletes that has qualified to compete in Jacksonville next week," said the Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Dan Ireland. "This is a great accomplishment for each of them and I look forward to watching them compete with the best athletes in the eastern half of the country."
Women's Qualifiers
Sarah Hardie - Hardie will advance to the East Prelims for the first time in her career after an impressive outdoor season. The Eastport, New York, native posted a season-best 2:07.43 in the 800m run, and earned second team All-Ivy League honors in the event. Hardie, a sophomore, was a part of the school record breaking 4x800m relay team in the outdoor season, and anchored the Lions conference championship team in the event.
Pegah Khosravi-Kamrani - At the Virginia Challenge in April, Khosravi-Kamrani clocked the sixth best effort in Columbia history in the 10,000m run at 34:43.88. That time was good enough for the Chapel Hill, North Carolina, native to qualify for Jacksonville. At the Ivy League Outdoor Heps, the junior ran 35:04.07 in the event for fifth.
Libby Kokes - After an impressive rookie campaign for Kokes, a trip to Jacksonville is on the horizon in the 1500m run. The Portland, Oregon, native has a 4:22.24 on her resume, which is the second fastest declared time in the prelim among freshmen. Kokes was also on the school record 4x800m relay squad this spring, and won an Ivy League title in the event.
Erin Melly - Melly is scheduled to take part in the 3000m steeplechase at the East Prelims, an event she's improved in all season long. The Bohemia, New York, native posted the seventh best time in Columbia history at last weekend's IC4A/ECAC Championships to qualify, going 10:32.83 for ninth.
Akua Obeng-Akrofi - Peaking at the right time was the key for Obeng-Akrofi, who finished the 400m run in under 54 seconds for the first time in her career at the IC4A/ECAC Championships. The sophomore from Lawrenceville, Georgia went 53.95 in the prelims to qualify, before posting a 54.27 for a runner-up finish at the meet. Obeng-Akrofi was a third place finisher in the 400m run at the Ivy League Outdoor Championships.
Henna Rustami - Rustami had her best effort in the 5000m run at the Virginia Challenge when the junior went 16:18.87 in the event to qualify for the East Prelims. The Syosset, New York, native earned All-Ivy League honors with a second place finish in the event at the conference championships in 16:33.92.
Olivia Sadler - Sadler will take part in the NCAA East Prelims for the second time in her career, after qualifying a season ago in the 1500m run. Sadler will join Kokes in the event, seeded just behind her teammate at 4:22.63. The Bristol, England, native owns Columbia's second best effort in the event, and was part of the school record 4x800m relay run earlier this season.
Natalie Tanner - Tanner is set to join her teammate and classmate Rustami in the 5000m run, thanks to her efforts at the Raleigh Relays. Back in late March, the Rye, New York, native went 16:23.91 in the 5K, taking sixth place in the process. Tanner clocked a 16:36.69 at that distance during the Ivy League Championships for third.
Brittney Wade - A two-time Ivy League Champion this past outdoor season, Wade improved all spring, peaking during last weekend's Battle Road Twilight Meet. The junior from Bethesda, Maryland clocked a 2:06.17 in the 800m run for a school record effort, taking first place among collegiate competitors. Wade was also an Ivy League Champion in the 4x800m relay, an event where she was an integral part of the school record run this season.
Anna Williams - Williams saved her best for last in the triple jump at the Ivy League Championships, putting together three strong phases for a 12.90m leap and an individual conference title. The Alexandria, Virginia, native's effort was the second best in school history, and placed her in the middle of the pack among the East Prelim qualifiers.
Men's Qualifiers
Jack Boyle - Although he only ran the 10,000m one time during the outdoor season, Boyle was able to slide into the East Prelims with a time of 29:46.10 for fifth at the Ivy League Championships. The juinor should feel comfortable at that distance, as he was an All-Ivy Leauge Cross Country honoree in the fall, helping the Lions to a conference championship in the process. This is the second time in his career the Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, native qualified for the East Prelims.
Robert Napolitano - Napolitano's impressive season will continue at the East Prelims in the 1500m run. The junior won the 1 Mile run during the Indoor Heptagonal Championships for the second straight season, then went on to take second in the 1500m run during the outdoor conference meet, while helping three rookies to a school record in the 4x800m relay during the outdoor season. Napolitano, a Brick, New Jersey, native clocked a 3:44.33 at the Battle Road Twilight Meet last weekend to qualify, taking first among collegiate competition in the process.
Tait Rutherford - Joining Boyle in the 10,000m run will be Rutherford, who has the teams best time at that distance this season. No stranger to NCAA competition, Rutherford qualified for the East Prelims a season ago, while also taking part in the NCAA Cross Country meet this year. The Fort Collins, Colorado, native has a season best of 29:41.64, and a career best of 29:19.17 in the outdoor 10,000m.
Alek Sauer - Sauer is one of just seven freshmen to qualify for the 800m run, and is already among the best half-mile runners in school history. The Yardley, Pennsylvania, native clocked a 1:49.15 at the Virginia Challenge for a season best, before taking second at the Ivy League Outdoor Championships in the event. Sauer helped Columbia to a runner-up finish at the Penn Relays in the 4x800m relay, when the Lions clocked a school record 7:20.41.
Players Mentioned
