STANFORD SENDS FOUR MORE TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

May 24, 2013



STANFORD SENDS FOUR MORE TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS



Carter wins in another strong 400 hurdles performance



AUSTIN, Texas – Stanford junior Kori Carter ran the fastest 400-meter hurdles time of the weather-delayed NCAA West Preliminary Round track and field meet and was among four Stanford athletes Friday to advance to the NCAA Championships.



For the third time in as many head-to-head races this season, Carter edged Arizona’s 2012 Olympic finalist Georganne Moline in a duel down the stretch. Carter clocked 54.50 – the second-fastest time of her life – to Moline’s 54.59 in the fastest two times of the meet.



The top 12 in each event join the 12 qualifiers from the East Prelims in Greensboro, N.C., to advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., on June 5-8.



Carter and Moline entered the meet as the top two collegians in the country, and Carter’s school-record season-best of 54.21 is the No. 3 time in the world this year.



She joined four teammates as NCAA qualifiers through the first two days of the three-day competition. Also advancing were senior Justine Fedronic and freshman Amy Weissenbach in the women’s 800, and freshman Steven Solomon in the men’s 400. They joined teammate Karynn Dunn, who advanced Thursday in the women’s long jump, in Eugene.



Also, senior Carissa Levingston advanced to Saturday’s final round in the women’s 200 and Carter did the same in the 100 hurdles, winning her heat in 13.55. Levingston was second in the last of six heats and qualified 11th. She is seeking her first NCAA Championships appearance in an individual event.



The women’s 800 has proven to be Stanford’s signature event. Fedronic won Heat 3 going away in 2:04.50, the second-best time of the meet. Weissenbach ran 2:04.97 to finish second in her heat. Claudia Saunders was fifth in her heat and 17th overall while running a personal record 2:06.96, a personal record and the fifth-fastest freshman time in Stanford history.



Stanford freshman Steven Solomon had a close call in the men’s 400. With only three top three in each of the three semifinal heats guaranteed a spot in Eugene, Solomon finished fourth, but secured one of the three at-large spots to qualify 10th overall in 46.59.



In all, 12 Stanford athletes competed Saturday. Seven did not advance, including senior Geoffrey Tabor in the shot put. Tabor threw 53-3¾ in his final collegiate meet for 37th. It also was the final meet for Elaine Patten, who high-jumped 5-7 to finish 26th.



The meet was interrupted for 6 hours and 15 minutes because of thunderstorms, postposing the men’s hammer throw until Saturday and making for a long day and night. The final event, the third section of the men’s 3,000 steeplechase, did not end until about 1 a.m. CT (11 p.m. PT).



Stanford competitors Saturday:



MEN

400 – 10, Steven Solomon 46.59 (4, H2), Q for NCAAs.

Shot put – 37, Geoffrey Tabor 53-3 ¾ (16.25), DNQ.



WOMEN

200 – 11, Carissa Levingston 23.90 (2, H6), Q to next round.

800 – 2, Justine Fedronic 2:04.50 (1, H3), Q to NCAAs; 5, Amy Weissenbach 2:04.97 (2, H2), Q to NCAAs; 17, Claudia Saunders 2:06.96 (7, H1), DNQ.

3,000 steeplechase – 26, Mary Kate Anselmini 10:27.62 (10, H2), DNQ; 45, Julia Foster 10:59.30 (15, H1), DNQ.

100 hurdles – 4, Kori Carter 13.55 (1, H1), Q to next round.

400 hurdles – 1, Kori Carter 54.50 (1, H2), Q to NCAAs.

High jump – 26, Elaine Patten 5-7 (1.70), DNQ.

Pole vault – 28, Ellie McCardwell 12-2 (3.71), DNQ.

Discus – 36, Rebecca Hammar 152-0 (46.33), DNQ.

Courtesy Stanford