Tiger Track & Field Heads to Notre Dame, Virginia Tech for Last Chance Meets

March 1, 2012

CLEMSON, SC – In an attempt to qualify a few more individual student-athletes for next week’s NCAA Indoor Championships, select members of the Clemson track & field program will compete in both the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, IN and Virginia Tech Qualifier in Blacksburg, VA this weekend.

Alyssa Kulik heads to Notre Dame in an attempt to earn qualification in the women’s mile. She ran a personal best 4:40.97 at the New Balance Invitational earlier this season. The automatic standard for the mile on Notre Dame’s oversized track is 4:37.00. Currently, Kulik is 30th on the national descending order list according to TFRRS.

Several student-athletes will travel to Blacksburg to compete at Virginia Tech’s Rector Field House. Marcus Maxey hopes to join teammate Spencer Adams at the national meet in the 60 hurdles. Maxey’s season-best time was 7.82 at the Clemson Invitational, and the auto standard is set at 7.70. Currently, he finds himself tied for 24th on the national descending order list.

Monique Gracia will also attempt to improve her time in the women’s 60 hurdles. Clemson already has a pair of auto qualifiers in the event in Brianna Rollins and Bridgette Owens. Gracia’s best time this season was 8.28 last weekend at the ACC Championships. The auto standard for the event is 8.10. Gracia is tied for 25th nationally in the event entering last chance weekend.

In the field events, Brittney Waller has the highest standing among those competing this weekend, as she is ranked 22nd on the TFRRS list for the 20-pound weight throw. Waller’s best this season was 66’10″/20.37m last Friday in her ACC championship performance. The auto standard for the weight is 21 meters, or 68’10.75″.

Lauren Terstappen is slated for the pole vault at Virginia Tech. She owns a season-best clearance of 13’2.5″/4.03m. The auto standard for the women’s vault is 4.3 meters, or 14’1.25″.

Also scheduled in the field for this weekend at Virginia Tech is freshman Jameel Abdul-Mateen in the long jump. He finished fifth in the event at the ACC Indoor Championships with a season-best jump of 23’11.5″/7.30m.

In total, Clemson has five auto qualifiers and several more who have strong chances to earn at-large bids. In addition to Adams, Owens and Rollins, junior sprinters Stormy Kendrick (60 meters) and Marlena Wesh (400 meters) have also punched tickets to the NCAA Championships.

Dezerea Bryant is in strong position to receive at-large selections in both the 60 and 200, ranking inside the nation’s top 10 in both. Jasmine Edgerson is tied for 10th in the 60-meter dash, while freshman Keni Harrison is tied for 13th in the 60 hurdles. Clemson’s 4×400 relay sits 11th on the national descending order list heading into last chance weekend. In the field, triple jumper Jasmine Brunson is third on the national list and sure to be selected for the national championship meet.