May 30, 2008
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The UCF track and field team is in its first day of competition at the NCAA East Regional. Today's schedule is as follows:
4x100-Meter Relay
- UCF 'A'
Long Jump
100-Meter Hurdle Preliminaries
800-Meter Hurdle Preliminaries
2:29 p.m. - The Knights have arrived at the track in preparation for the 4x100-meter relay, which takes place at 3:30 p.m. The 4x100-relay team of Micaela Wimberly, Lizzie Harris, Dione Thomas and Feyisara Adaramola broke the school record in that event at the UCF Invitational, finishing in a time of 45.47. The previous school record heading into this season was a time of 46.67, set during the 2006 campaign.
2:34 p.m. - A little history on the NCAA East Regional. The meet is taking place in Tallahassee for the first time, but is in the Sunshine State for the third time in the six-year history of the regional and the second consecutive season. The University of Florida hosted the regional in 2004 and 2007. The NCAA began the regional format prior to the 2006 season with athletes notching regional-qualifying times and marks during the season, and then qualifying for nationals based on their performances at the regional. Prior to that, the NCAA used provisional and automatic times, similar to the format used for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Currently, during outdoor season, only the 10,000-meter run and the multi events use automatic and provisional times. Those events are not contested at the NCAA regional sites.
2:46 p.m. - For those of you unfamiliar with Tallahassee, it is the capital city of Florida, located in Leon County. Tallahassee is a Muskogean Indian word meaning "old fields." During the Civil War, Tallahassee was the only Confederate state capital east of the Mississippi that was not captured by Union forces. Notable present and former residents of Tallahassee include Red Barber, former announcer for the New York Yankees, Academy Award-winning actress Faye Dunaway and hip-hop artist T-Pain.
2:51 p.m. - The NCAA East Regional is taking place at Mike Long Track. It is named after Mike Long, the legendary former track and field coach at Florida State University. He coached at FSU from 1955 to 1977, coaching the Noles to a record of 131-32. Fourteen FSU track athletes won All-America honors during his tenure.
2:55 p.m. - Though it marks the first time that Mike Long Track will play host to the NCAA East Regional, the venue is no stranger to big-time track and field competitions. The facility played host to the USA Track and Field National Junior Championships in 1988 and the AAU National Championships in 1991. Florida State and Mike Long Track also hosted the Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 1992 and 2005. The USA Track and Field National Junior Championships returned t0 Mike Long Track in the summer of 1994. The British Olympic Team, which trained in Tallahassee for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, used the facility for all of their track and field practices and workouts over the summer.
3:10 p.m. - The track is being prepared for the commencement of the running events which start at 3:30 p.m. with the women's 4x100-meter relay. UCF's squad runs in the fourth of four heats during that event. The Knights will run in lane three. The squad will likely consist of Micaela Wimberly, Lizzie Harris, Dione Thomas and Feyisara Adaramola, but Sheree Carter and Victoria Chin are listed as alternates.
3:51 p.m. - The 4x100-meter relay has just concluded. The Knights finished just shy of their school-record time in the event, finishing 13th in 45.51. The school record in the event is 45.47. South Carolina finished first in the event with a time of 44.11. The top eight squads - the winner of each heat plus the next four fastest times from any heat - advance to tomorrow's final which commences at 4 p.m.
3:53 p.m. - UCF will quickly be back in action when Dione Thomas participates in the long jump at 4 p.m. Thomas also will be competing in the triple jump at the NCAA East Regional. The triple jump takes place at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
4:32 p.m. - The women's long jump will take place following the men's long jump, so a start time is difficult to determine. The women's 100-meter hurdles do begin at 4:50 p.m. with UCF's Sheree Carter and Victoria Chin participating in that event. Carter was the Conference USA Outdoor Champion in the heptathlon two weeks ago.
5:21 p.m. - The Knights have concluded their competition in the 100-meter hurdles. Victoria Chin finished 19th in a time of 14.06 (-1.7) and Sheree Carter was 27th in a time of 14.41 (-1.2).
6:37 p.m. - Dione Thomas finished 16th in the long jump with a leap of 19-0/5.79m. She will compete in the triple jump tomorrow. Shantile Blackburn and Karen Kozub are preparing to compete in the 800-meter run beginning at 6:50 p.m. EDT.
6:59 p.m. - Karen Kozub finished 17th in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:10.07, while Shantile Blackburn was 27th in a time of 2:12.83. The Knights are headed back to the bus to go to dinner. Tomorrow's activities for UCF begin at 1 p.m.