Clemson Men’s Track And Field Finishes Fourth At East Region Championships

May 29, 2004

GAINESVILLE, FL – The Clemson men’s track and field team finished fourth with 45 points at the 2004 East Region Championships held this weekend at Percy Beard Track at the University of Florida. At the inaugural East Region Championships a year ago, Clemson men’s track and field also brought home a fourth-place finish. On Saturday, two more Tigers automatically qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships to be held June 9-12 in Austin, TX. Tye Hill was the runner-up in the 100m and Lydell Perry placed fifth in the 110m hurdles to earn automatic bids to this year’s national meet. On Friday, three Tigers automatically qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. George Kitchens was the runner-up in the long jump, while Adam Linkenauger tied for second place in the high jump.

In the 4x100m relay, the Tigers’ team of Tye Hill, Ronald Richards and Airese Currie crossed the finish line in 39.99 to finish fourth out of the nine-team finalist field. As only three teams automatically advance to the NCAA Championships, Clemson will await an at-large bid. The Tigers, ACC Champions in the 400m relay, own a season-best time of 39.71.

Lydell Perry, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA, recorded a time of 13.87 in the 110m hurdles to finish fifth and automatically qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Perry recorded a season-best 13.82 in Friday’s preliminaries, the best time recorded by a Tiger this season.

Tye Hill earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in the 100m dash, finishing as the runner-up in 10.27. This afternoon’s time is a career-best for Hill. He is the second Tiger to advance to the NCAA Championships, as dual-sport teammate (football) Airese Currie was the East Region Champion a year ago. This will be Hill’s first individual appearance at the NCAA Championships. In the 200m dash, Hill narrowly missed qualifying for the national meet in that event, placing sixth with a time of 20.97. His time in Saturday’s finals was another season-best performance.

Scott Kautz placed eighth in the finals of the 400m hurdles, clocking a 51.35. Kautz owns the Tigers’ season-best time in the event, having recorded a personal best of 50.96 earlier this season.

In the triple jump, Jason Bell placed 10th with a leap of 49’5″ in his first appearance at the region meet. The freshman from Warner Robbins, GA, ends the season with a best mark of 49’6.5″.

Ryan Fenton competed in the 3000m steeplechase, completing the event with a time of 9:08.52 to place 11th out of the field of 23. The junior from Portland, ME, ends his season with a best time of 9:02.01.

In the final event of the night, the Tigers’ 4x400m relay team of Lydell Perry and Roy Cheney recorded a time of 3:09.63 to place eighth.

Team Results 1. Florida – 125.5 points 2. Georgia – 64 points 3. Florida State – 59 points 4. Clemson – 49 points Clemson’s 2004 NCAA Automatic Qualifiers 100m – Tye Hill 110m hurdles – Lydell Perry High jump – Adam Linkenauger, Terrance McDaniel Long jump – George Kitchens Clemson’s Saturday Results 100m – Tye Hill (2) – 10.27 200m – Tye Hill (6) – 20.97 110m hurdles – Lydell Perry – 13.87 400m hurdles – Scott Kautz (8) – 51.35 3000m steeplechase – Ryan Fenton (11) – 9:08.52 4x100m relay – Griffin, Hill, Richards, Currie (4) – 39.99 4x400m relay – Bolling, Andrews, Perry, Cheney (8) – 3:09.63 Triple jump – Jason Bell (10) – 49’5″/15.06m Pole vault – Adam Klotzbach, NH