Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs secure two bids for NCAA Championships
5/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
2016 NCAA West Preliminary Round Results 
LAWRENCE, Kan. - One more Bulldog secured a spot in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, June 8-11, on Saturday as junior Annemarie Schwanz clocked the top time (4:21.87) in her heat in the 1500-meter run at the NCAA Division I West Preliminary Round in Lawrence.
Schwanz outpaced the second heat of 12 runners, securing an automatic qualification, and finished with the 13th overall fastest time. Schwanz avenged last season's NCAA appearance, her first, when she fell short of advancing of out the 2015 prelims in Austin, Texas - there she ran a 4:33.28 and placed 37th in the 1500m.
Keane Bland (110mH), Njeri Omawahleh (200m) and the women's 4x400m relay team were also in action on Saturday's final day of competition, but fell short of qualifying past the preliminary round, respectively.
In the men's 110-meter hurdles, Bland raced to a 14.00 time that was third-best in the sixth heat. The senior's time placed 19th out of the 48 to make it to the west prelims.
In the women's 200-meter dash, Omawahleh placed fourth in the first heat after crossing the finish line in 24 seconds flat. She finished 36th overall at the west prelims.
The women's 4x400m relay team put a bow on the weekend for Fresno State. In the final race for the Bulldogs, the quartet of Kyra Johnson, Dezirae Johnson, Nailah Harris-Murillo and Omawahleh posted a season-best 3:36.71. The relay team placed fifth in the first heat and owned the 15th fastest time of the 24 teams in action.
Schwanz, also a 5000m qualifier, did not start the race on Saturday, foregoing the event. She qualified for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon approximately three hours earlier in the 1500m run.
Schwanz will be joined by Kyra Johnson in Eugene after securing her bid Friday in the 400m hurdles. It will be her second-straight appearance.
Wild Weather
Saturday was the first day the weather cooperated for the west preliminary round field after Thursday was shut down altogether because of severe storms and Friday was cut short, while other events were moved indoors that day.
As a result, the first round was eliminated and all running events were ran as a quarterfinal after day one was scrapped.
Advancement in each event was as follows:
• The 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, plus hurdles; the six heat winners, plus the next 6 fastest times advance.
• The 1,500m; the top 2 runners in each heat, plus the next four fastest times advance.
NCAA Qualification Summary:
Athletes who rank among the top-48 in their respective event in the west region earn berths into the NCAA West Preliminary Round and the best 24 relay times also advance to NCAA Prelims - same standard for NCAA East Preliminary Round
Twelve athletes/relay teams from both the west prelims (Lawrence, Kan.) and east prelims (Jacksonville, Fla.) qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 8-11, to make a field of the top-24 in their respective event.
ALL RESULTS
Men' Team
110mH: Keane Bland, 14.00
400mH (Fri.): Kamara Biawogi, 52.83
Pole Vault (Fri.): Shane Atkinson, NH
Women's Team
1500m: Annemarie Schwanz, 4:21.87
200m: Njeri Omawahleh, 24.00
4x400m: 3:36.71
400mH (Fri.): Kyra Johnson, 57.85**
Long Jump (Fri.): Je'Nia Sears, 5.93m (19-5.50)
Discus (Fri.): Kayla Hopkins, 49.02m (160-10); Yazmin Torres, 46.74m (153-4)
Javelin (Fri.): Vanja Spaic, 48.40m (158-9)*
* - indicates personal record
* - indicates school record
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Players Mentioned
