KU track qualifies relays for NCAA Outdoor

By Staff Reports     Jun 1, 2014

? Two Kansas University relay teams qualified Saturday for the NCAA Outdoor track and field meet June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.

KU’s women’s 4×100 and men’s 4×400 relay teams advanced from the NCAA West Preliminary.

After already claiming a spot in the NCAA long jump final earlier in the week, sophomore Sydney Conley joined senior Diamond Dixon, junior Alisha Keys and sophomore Tianna Valentine in the 4×100-meter relay. They finished in 44.75, good for fourth place in their quarterfinal heat. The time was good enough to send KU to the national semifinals at the NCAA championships on June 11.

In the meet’s final event, the men’s 4×400-meter relay, KU sophomore Drew Matthews, senior DeMario Johnson, sophomore Jaime Wilson and junior Michael Stigler combined for a season-best 3:07.16. That was good enough for fourth in the heat but just off an automatic spot.

The Jayhawks were then forced to watch two heats to see whether their time was good enough to earn one of three non-automatic qualifying spots. Following the third and final quarterfinal heat, KU’s time outpaced BYU by .13 seconds to give the Jayhawks the 12th and final spot at nationals. KU will compete in the NCAA semifinals on June 12.

KU will have six entries — three women, one man and two relays — at the NCAA championships.

Qualifying for the KU women were Conley (long jump and 4×100 relay), Jessica Maroszek (discus), Lindsay Vollmer (heptathlon) and Dixon, Keys and Valentine (4×100).

Stigler will be the only individual entry for the Kansas men after he advanced to the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles for the third straight year. He will join Matthews, Johnson and Wilson in the 4×400-meter relay.

PREV POST

Column: Ex-KU golfer Thompson preps for next shot

NEXT POST

44698KU track qualifies relays for NCAA Outdoor