Track & Field Travels 13 Student-Athletes to Virginia Tech Last Chance Qualifier

March 5, 2009

Clemson, SC – The Tiger track & field program will send 13 student-athletes to Blacksburg, VA this weekend for the Virginia Tech Last Chance Qualifier, held at Rector Field House. The meet will serve as the final opportunity for seven of Clemson’s female athletes and six male athletes to qualify for next week’s NCAA Indoor Championships.

Clemson already has four automatic NCAA qualifiers, including three from the 10th-ranked women’s team. The auto qualifiers are Jacoby Ford (60m dash), April Sinkler (long jump), Liane Weber (pentathlon), and Patricia Mamona (pentathlon). In addition, Mamona is high in the triple jump rankings and Sinkler is ranked among the top 15 nationally in the high jump. Both figure to be strongly in the mix to get at-large invitations to next week’s NCAA Championships.

With Ford’s place secure in the men’s 60m dash, three others will vie for a chance to join him next week. Trenton Guy currently ranks second on the squad with a time of 6.69, which is the #22 time in the nation according to the latest report by Trackshark. Shaving two hundredths off his time would place in the top 16 nationally.

C.J. Spiller (6.71) and Justin Murdock (6.72) will also compete Saturday in the 60m dash for the Tigers. Spiller competed last season at the NCAA Indoor Championships and was an All-American in the 60m. There will be at least two rounds of the 60 on Saturday, beginning with prelims at 12:15 PM.

Fresh off a pair of All-ACC accolades, Travis Swaggard will attempt to qualify in both the 200m (3:20) and 400m dash (1:50) events on Saturday. The Lorton, VA native ran personal bests in both last weekend at the league meet. Kristine Scott and Michaylin Golladay will be the lone women’s track athletes competing. Scott will run the 60m (12:05 PM) and 200m (3:05), while Golladay looks to shave time off her provisional qualifying effort in the 60m hurdles (11:45 AM).

The field events will feature pole vaulters this Saturday, including three females. Caroline Kennedy, who tied the school record last weekend with a clearance of 12’9.5″, leads the way. She will be joined by Amy Morrison and Emily Barlage at 11:30 AM. On the men’s side, Chris Spear is a provisional qualifier at 17’2.25″. He currently ranks 24th in the NCAA in the event heading into Saturday afternoon’s competition.

Anastasia Wilson hopes to improve on her personal best in the high jump Saturday (3:15 PM). The All-ACC performer owns a top clearance of 5’10”, a top 30 mark nationally. George Fields will also compete Saturday in the men’s long jump (12:00). His best this season was a 24’7.25″ mark at the Hokie Invitational.

Nikola Lomnicka is slated to compete in the 20-pound weight throw Saturday afternoon, following the conclusion of the men’s competition. The freshman from Slovakia earned All-ACC honors last week after placing third in the event with a provisional qualifying mark of 61’10.25″.