GREENSBORO, N.C. – At the end of the three-day NCAA East Preliminary Round, three members of the 13th-ranked Ole Miss men’s squad qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in four different events.
Isiah Young led the way over the weekend, advancing to the national finals (June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.) in the 100 meters and 200 meters. After setting a school and East preliminary record with a 9.99 in the 100 on Thursday, he advanced with the top quarterfinal time of 10.01 on Friday. The senior from Junction City, Kan., qualified for Eugene in the 200 meters with the second-fastest quarterfinal time of 20.31 on Saturday.
Young might have made it three events in Eugene as the Rebels came in with one of the nation’s top times in the 4×100 meter relay. A faulty handoff in Saturday’s quarterfinals derailed those plans, though.
Young will be making his third appearance at an NCAA Championship and is one of the favorites in both short sprints. In his previous championships, Young placed fourth in the 200 and ninth in the 100 at the 2012 outdoor meet and seventh in the 60 at the 2012 indoor meet.
Also advancing to nationals on Saturday was senior Morris Kersh in the triple jump. The Pearl, Miss., native placed 10th with a mark of 50-5.25, earning one of the 12 spots to advance to Eugene. Kersh previously competed at the 2011 NCAA outdoor meet, making second-team All-America with a 14th-place result.
On Thursday, sophomore Sam Kendricks placed top 12 in the pole vault to advance to Eugene. A native of Oxford, Miss., Kendricks will be making his third straight appearance at an NCAA national meet. He earned All-America honors by placing 10th at last year’s outdoor meet and third at this year’s indoor championships.
Just missing a berth in Eugene was the men’s 4×400 meter relay squad of Dante Oliver, Montez Griffin, Creighton Serrette and Anthony Branch. They finished 14th in the quarterfinals with a time of 3:08.70.
The trio of Rebel men joins junior Mary Ashton Nall, who qualified for Eugene as the No. 23 national seed in the women’s heptathlon. The multi-events are not part of the preliminary sites. It will be her first career appearance at an NCAA Championships. –– Joey Jones, Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations
SATURDAY AGATE
MEN
200 Meters – Quarterfinals
2. Isiah Young – 20.31Q
4×100 Meter Relay – Quarterfinals
Ole Miss (Griffin, Branch, Serrette, I. Young) – DNF
4×400 Meter Relay – Quarterfinals
14. Ole Miss (Oliver, Griffin, Serrette, Branch) – 3:08.70
Triple Jump – First Round
10. Morris Kersh – 50-5.25q
WOMEN
100 Meter Hurdles – Quarterfinals
18. Taryn Hartfield – 13.44
4×100 Meter Relay – Quarterfinals
20. Ole Miss (Russell, Lundy, J. Williams, Cooper) – 45.45
Triple Jump – First Round
41. Marci Morman – 38-7.75
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