Track and Field Headed to Jacksonville for NCAA East Prelims

Contact: Matt Hebert

Men's Entry List | Women's Entry List | Schedule of Events

LAFAYETTE – The inaugural season for Ragin' Cajuns Track and Field under the direction of head coach Lon Badeaux has already featured three indoor All-Americans, numerous individual event champions and a runner-up finish for the men's squad at the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships.

The growing list of accomplishments for Badeaux's first season at his alma mater became even more impressive last week when the Ragin' Cajuns learned that 15 student-athletes between the men's and women's teams have been accepted into the preliminary round of the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships being held May 24-26 in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Ragin' Cajuns will compete at the venue for the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds being held at Hodges Stadium and hosted by the University of North Florida. The participants departed Lafayette on Tuesday morning.

Representing the UL men's team is a group of 10 athletes comprised of: Kenneth Bellard (triple jump), Casey Comeaux (javelin throw), Devin Davis (long jump), Albert Fournette (shot put), Justin Jones (100 meter dash), Sander Maes (high jump), Chris Roy (pole vault), Joshua Sigler (long jump), O'Daylon Thibeaux (triple jump) and Michael Vani (pole vault).

Representing the UL women's team is a group of five athletes comprised of: Mayme Cook (javelin throw), Kacey Elphage (100 meter hurdles), Alexis Malone (100 meter dash), Jasmine Manuel (triple jump) and Kirsten Meche (javelin throw).

The NCAA Selection Committee accepted the top 48 performers in each individual event and the top 24 relay teams in both relays to compete at each site hosting the NCAA Preliminary Rounds for a total of 96 individuals and 48 relays competing in each event nationwide.

When competing in the NCAA Preliminary Rounds, the top 12 finishers in each open and relay event will qualify for the national semifinal and final rounds of the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships scheduled to run June 6-9 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

One Cajun seeking to earn a return trip to Des Moines for the national event is shot putter Albert Fournette. The New Orleans native placed 10^th out of 46 competitors with a throw of 18.07m/59-3 at the NCAA East Preliminaries last season in Bloomington, Ind., which advanced him to the championship round.

Fournette holds the fourth-best mark in the NCAA East region with a school-record shot put toss of 19.39m/63-7 ½ at the Texas Relays in march. Fournette claimed the Sun Belt title during both the indoor and outdoor season.

Jasmine Manuel, a first team indoor All-American this season, earned a return trip to the East prelims with a triple jump leap of 13.29m/43-7 ¼ at the Texas Relays, which placed her fifth in the regional rankings.

Manuel, the back-to-back Sun Belt champion in the event in the indoor and outdoor season, is seeking her first trip to the outdoor national championships. In the 2011 East preliminaries, Manuel narrowly missed a trip to Des Moines. Manuel's leap of 41-1 ½ (12.53m) was just an inch shy of qualifying for the NCAA Championships. The junior placed 14th overall out of 47 competitors.

O'Daylon Thibeaux is the third Cajun returning to the East preliminaries. The junior picked up his qualifying mark at the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships two weekends ago, leaping 15.39m/50-6 which ranks 30^th in the region.

Thibeaux cleared a distance of 49-3 ¾ (15.03m) in the men's triple jump in Bloomington last season to make the final cut and place 23rd in the event. Thibeaux, however, did not qualify for the national semifinals.

The Cajuns have a strong pole vault duo vying for a trip to nationals as Sun Belt outdoor champion Chris Roy and runner-up Michael Vani take the field in Jacksonville. Roy holds the East region's fourth-best clearance at 5.40m/17-8 ½, while Vani ranks Top 25 at 5.21m/17-1.

Individuals seeking to build upon first place finishes from the SBC Outdoor Championships include Justin Jones (100 meter dash), Roy (pole vault), Kenneth Bellard (triple jump) and Devin Davis (long jump).

Events in the NCAA East Preliminary Round get underway on Thursday, May 24 at 11 a.m. with the start of field events. Running events commence at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Ragin' Cajuns Athletes Accepted into the 2012 NCAA East Preliminary Rounds

MEN
Athlete, Event, Time/Mark (Region Rank)
Justin Jones, 100 meter dash, 10.42 (T-37)
Sander Maes, high jump, 2.11m/6-11 (T-35)
Chris Roy, pole vault, 5.40m/17-8 ½ (T-4)
Michael Vani, pole vault, 5.21m/17-1 (24)
Joshua Sigler, long jump, 7.53m/24-8 ½ (27)
Devin Davis, long jump, 7.40m/24-3 ½ (T-44)
Kenneth Bellard, triple jump, 15.50m/50-10 ¼ (23)
O'Daylon Thibeaux, triple jump, 15.39m/50-6 (T-30)
Albert Fournette, shot put, 19.39m/63-7 ½ (T-4)
Casey Comeaux, javelin throw, 63.00m/206-8 (48)

WOMEN
Athlete, Event, Time/Mark (Region Rank)
Alexis Malone, 100 meter dash, 11.61 (T-39)
Kacey Elphage, 100 meter hurdles, 13.59 (T-33)
Jasmine Manuel, triple jump, 13.29m/43-7 ¼ (5)
Mayme Cook, javelin throw, 46.58m/152-10 (18)
Kirsten Meche, javelin throw, 43.67m/143-3 (42)

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Track and Field Headed to Jacksonville for NCAA East Prelims

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