May 21, 2010
NCAA Official Declaration Lists
TUCSON – The NCAA released its final declarations for the track and field national championships today and The University of Arizona found itself well represented on the list.
Thirty-one Wildcats in 34 events will advance to the first round (West Preliminary) of the 2010 NCAA Championships, which will take place in Austin, Texas. Those advancing beyond the West Preliminary Round will compete in Eugene, Ore. next month for a shot at individual and team national titles.
The top 48 declared athletes from both the East and West advance to the respective preliminary rounds where they will compete in “Round One” per se where the top 24 will then compete in the ensuing days in “Round Two”. The top 12 athletes from each region then advance to Eugene for the NCAA Finals. The only exception to these rules are the relay races and multi-events where only the top 24 advance to the preliminary round.
The UA's chance for the biggest haul comes in the women's high jump where four athletes qualified. Defending indoor national champion and 2008 outdoor national champion Liz Patterson enters the competition ranked fifth in the region while freshman phenom Brigetta Barrett holds the three seed. Senior Jasmin Day and junior Courtney Hayes are also represented in the field.
The women's shot put features freshman Julie Labonte who enters with the third best mark in the West. Labonte also holds the third best mark in school history and has been just centimeters from the freshman record the whole season. Junior Kelsey Jessup also advanced as did freshman Alyssa Hasslen – who also will see action in the discus.
Junior Christina Rodgers represents the UA's highest seed outside of Labonte and Barrett as she comes in as the fourth-best 800-meter runner in the West after setting a personal best in her runner-up finish at the Pac-10 Championships.
The women's 4 x 400-meter relay is the only relay for the school to move on to nationals but they did so in style this season, consistently posting strong finishes while running the second-fastest relay in school history and taking third at the Pac-10 Championships.
In a year where the women shined as a team, it is also important to note that Arizona qualified women in 15 of 21 possible events
On the men's side, the freshmen high jumping duo of Edgar Rivera-Morales and Nick Ross represent the highest entries for Arizona, ranked fifth and tenth, respectively.
Two athletes who haven't touched the track in several years posting had some welcome surprises when the declaration lists were released Friday, coming in just under the cut.
Travis Cobb, senior wide receiver and kick return for the Wildcat football team, has not run in a track
and field competition in five years since his days at Rocky Mount High School in North Carolina. Despite this, Cobb's season best time of 10.60 in the 100-meters would hold true for him to advance to the West Preliminary.
Senior Julie Stupp, who spent her previous four years as a swimmer at Auburn and the UA earned the 48th and final qualifying spot in the 800-meters, giving her a national championship appearance in two separate sports.
The Wildcats will head out to Austin on Tuesday and get set for several days of competition as they look to advance to the final round in Oregon.
2010 University of Arizona National Championship West Prelim Qualifiers (With Ranking) – Men
100-meters
45 Travis Cobb JR Arizona 10.60D
1500-meters
21 Abdi Hassan SO Arizona 3:44.32D
31 Dylan Fitzpatrick SR Arizona 3:45.31D
Steeplechase
31 Brian MacArthur JR Arizona 8:58.54D
5000-meters
22 Mohamud Ige SR Arizona 13:55.56D
High Jump
5 Edgar Rivera-Morales FR Arizona 2.20mD
10 Nick Ross FR Arizona 2.18mD
Shot Put
12 Korion Morris JR Arizona 18.15mD
Discus
26 Korion Morris JR Arizona 54.06mD
2010 University of Arizona National Championship West Prelim Qualifiers (With Ranking) – Women
100-meters
38 LaTisha Holden JR Arizona 11.78D
400-meters
34 Deanna Sullivan JR Arizona 54.26D
800-meters
4 Christina Rodgers JR Arizona 2:04.50D
48 Julie Stupp SR Arizona 2:09.85D
1500-meters
47 Elizabeth Apgar FR Arizona 4:29.65D
Steeplechase
11 Margaret Callahan JR Arizona 10:16.86D
15 Hannah Moen SO Arizona 10:23.77D
5000-meters
26 Jennifer Bergman FR Arizona 16:33.63D
10000-meters
12 Megan Meyer FR Arizona 33:46.96D
100-meter hurdles
11 LaTisha Holden JR Arizona 13.34D
27 Dahlys Marshall SO Arizona 13.70D
400-meter hurdles
9 Georganne Moline FR Arizona 58.19D
4x400-meter relay
11 Arizona 3:36.52D
High Jump
3 Brigetta Barrett FR Arizona 1.89mD
5 Elizabeth Patterson SR Arizona 1.86mD
24 Courtney Hayes SO Arizona 1.75mD
30 Jasmin Day SR Arizona 1.74mD
Shot Put
3 Julie Labonte FR Arizona 16.82mD
15 Alyssa Hasslen FR Arizona 15.55mD
36 Kelsey Jessup SR Arizona 14.86mD
Discus
10 Alyssa Hasslen FR Arizona 52.20mD
23 Julie Labonte FR Arizona 50.43mD
Hammer Throw
42 Taylor Bush SO Arizona 54.93mD
Javelin
28 Asia Easley FR Arizona 46.85mD
31 Leigh Bernstein JR Arizona 45.76mD
