NCAA Track & Field Regional Set To Begin Thursday

5/23/2012 3:54:00 PM

RICHMOND, Va. (May 23, 2012) - The 2012 NCAA Track and Field East Region Preliminary Rounds are set to get underway on Thursday at Hodges Stadium on the campus of University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.

George Mason will send 12 individuals and two team relays to the NCAA preliminaries while William and Mary will be represented by five individuals. UNCW (4), James Madison (3), Georgia State (3), Northeastern (2) and VCU with two individuals and one relay team will also field student-athletes at this week's event.

Coming off his meet record in the 400 meters at this month's CAA Championship, George Mason junior David Verburg is the top seed for the 400 meter event this week. Teammates Nick Vaughn and Javell Bullard will join Verburg in the 400 meters. Patriots' senior Lavell Handy will compete in the long jump and triple jump events, earning top-20 seeds in both. UNCW sophomore Aerial Chatman will join Handy in both jumps. Seahawks senior Bob Vanderham, winner of the 800 meter conference title, will be seeded 12^th in the race this week. Others looking to punch their ticket to the NCAA Finals this week include four-time CAA javelin throw champion, William & Mary's Brandon Heroux, seeded 11^th in the event and Northeastern senior Patrick Jablonski, seeded 17^th in the discus throw.

Mason's sixth-seeded squad of sophomore Adrian Vaughn, Verburg, Nick Vaughn and junior George Empty will compete in the 4x400 relay this week and will look to make a run at the national title after finishing 10^th and 17^th in the event the past two years.

On the women's side, George Mason junior Mandissa Marshall is the second seed for the pole vault, after claiming the CAA title earlier this month. UNCW senior Jordan Daywalt joins Marshall in the event. George Mason junior Cierra McGee is seeded 12^th in the 400 meters and VCU freshman Kiara Porter earns the 18^th seed for the race. Others include CAA 10,000 meter champion, William & Mary sophomore Elaina Balouris, seeded 13^th for the race and Patriots' freshman Kelsey Reese, looking to advance to NCAAs in the javelin throw.

VCU and George Mason will send relay squads, with the Rams featuring freshman Alexis Stroman, Porter, senior Jazlynn Finney and junior Dionna Hayes in the 4x100 relay. In the 4x400 relay the Patriots' will look to advance behind McGee, sophomores Daianna Barron, Taylor Wheaton and Dominique Graham.

The East Region preliminaries begin on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. with the men's javelin throw. The track events commence at 4:30 p.m. with the running o the men's and women's 400-meter hurdles.

Colonial Athletic Association Student-Athletes Entries

(Men)

100 Meters - Rachaunn Ruffin, Sr., George Mason

200 Meters - Adrian Vaughn, So., George Mason

400 Meters - David Verburg, Jr., George Mason

400 Meters - Nick Vaughn, Sr., George Mason

400 Meters - Javell Bullard, Sr., George Mason

800 Meters - Bob Vanderham, Sr., UNCW

1,500 Meters - Chris Tyson, Sr., William & Mary

5,000 Meters - Everett Hackett, Sr., George Mason

10,000 Meters - Josh Hardin, So., William & Mary

10,000 Meters - Everett Hackett, Sr., George Mason

10,000 Meters - Alex McGrath, Jr., William & Mary

110 Meter Hurdles - David Lindsay, Jr., UNCW

400 Meter Hurdles - George Empty, Jr., George Mason

Triple Jump - Lavell Handy, Sr., George Mason

Triple Jump - Aerial Chatman, So., UNCW

Triple Jump - Dwight Webley, Sr., George Mason

Long Jump - Lavell Handy, Sr., George Mason

Long Jump - Aerial Chatman, So., UNCW

Long Jump - Travaughn Baker-Johnson, Jr., George Mason

Javelin Throw - Brandon Heroux, Sr., William & Mary

Discus Throw - Patrick Jablonski, Sr., Northeastern

Hammer Throw - Max Milder, So., Northeastern

4x400 Relay - Adrian Vaughn, David Verburg, Nick Vaughn, George Empty (George Mason)

(Women)

200 Meters - Charlesha Lightbourne, Sr., Georgia State

400 Meters - Cierra McGee, Jr., George Mason

400 Meters - Kiara Porter, Fr., VCU

800 Meters - Annie Reiner, Jr., James Madison

1,500 Meters - Katie Harman, Jr., James Madison

10,000 Meters - Elaina Balouris, So., William & Mary

100 Meter Hurdles - Latoya James, So., Delaware

100 Meter Hurdles - Tamara Moore, Jr., Georgia State

Pole Vault - Mandissa McDonald, Jr., George Mason

Pole Vault - Jordan Daywalt, Sr., UNCW

Triple Jump - Angelia Nugent, Sr., Georgia State

Long Jump - Marissa McDonald, Jr., James Madison

Javelin Throw - Kelsey Reese, Fr., George Mason

Discus Throw - Jaleesa Williams, So., VCU

4x100 Relay - Alexis Stroman, Kiara Porter, Jazlynn Finney, Dionna Hayes (VCU)

4x400 Relay - Cierra McGee, Daianna Barron, Taylor Wheaton, Dominique Graham (George Mason)