Wildcat duo blisters track in 100 meters
VanWyk, Alexander qualify for final; Bergstrom in fourth in heptathlon
For immediate release 23 May 2002
(This story does not include the results of Thursday night's 10,000-meter races)
SAN ANGELO On a relatively quiet first day at the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championship meet, a pair of ACU sprinters grabbed the spotlight with blazing performances in the men's 100-meter semifinals.
Sophomore Christie VanWyk posted the top qualifying time with a 10.06, while junior Nic Alexander posted the fourth-best qualifying time at 10.17. Those two will be part of what could be a blistering final Saturday night at the Angelo State Multipurpose Complex.
Running in the first heat, VanWyk and Alexander both got excellent starts and ran away from the field. Both athletes recorded their best times of the season with a 2.8 wind behind them. VanWyk entered the meet with the nation's top time at 10.15.
VanWyk and Alexander also ran on the Wildcats' 4x100 relay team, which posted a season-best time of 40.09 en route to winning its heat. The Wildcats will go head-to-head with Fort Hays State (Kan.) Saturday night for the championship. The Tigers' four-man team -- which entered the meet with the nation's top time -- turned in a 39.91 to record the top qualifying mark.
Here's the breakdown of how ACU's other athletes fared in Thursday's first day:
WOMEN
Heptathlon -- Freshman Alice Bergstrom is in fourth place and senior Shauna-Gaye Stephens is in 11th place with four of seven events completed. Bergstrom high jumped a personal best 5-7.00 to finish second in that event and record 855 points. She scored 3,114 points Thursday, but trails defending champion Meredith Davis of Morningside by 339 points going into Friday's final day of competition. Stephens is in 11th with 2,931 points.
4x100 relay -- ACU qualified for Saturday night's final with a season-best time of 46.12. Elricia Francis, Marichea Austin, Kimone Campbell and Sofi Hildenborg ran for the Wildcats.
400 meters -- Neither Austin (56.07) nor Francis (57.01) qualified for Saturday's final.
3000 meters -- In her first appearance at the national meet, freshman Cassie Chaffin failed to qualify for Friday evening's final, turning in a 10:37.64.
400 hurdles -- Junior Wendy Seitz was disqualified in Thursday's preliminaries. It wouldn't have mattered, though, because her time of 1:03.13 would not have qualified her for the final.
MEN
1500 meters -- As expected, the Wildcats dominated this race in Thursday's preliminaries, sending all four runners into Saturday's final. Senior John Kemboi -- looking for his third straight outdoor championship in the event -- turned in the top qualifying time, coasting to a 3:53.00. His teammates Bernard Manirakiza (3:53.16), Jean-Marie Ndukimana (3:55.35) and Martin O'Kello (3:55.76) also qualified for the final.
Long jump -- Neither sophomore Shawn Nelson nor freshman Tarrant Fuller qualified for the final. Nelson's best jump was 24-1.50, while Fuller fouled on all three attempts, failing to make the final. The event was won by Texas A&M-Commerce's George Sheppard.
3000 Steeplechase -- Sophomore Nick Branen was in position to qualify for Friday evening's final, but with a little more than two laps to go he came down awkwardly in the pit, badly spraining his ankle and knocking him out of the rest of the race.
400 hurdles -- Freshman Richard Phillips ran a 52.95 in Thursday's preliminaries,but failed to qualify for the final.
