Wildcats post 13 qualifiers

Three qualify automatically at Stanford Invitational

ABILENE -- The Abilene Christian men's and women's track and field teams posted three automatic qualifiers and 10 provisional qualifiers for the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championship meet at a pair of weekend meets.

All three of the automatic qualifiers ran at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., while the seven provisional qualifiers competed at the Baylor / Dr Pepper Invitational in Waco. The outdoor national championship meet will be May 26-28 at Elmer Gray Stadium in Abilene.

At the Stanford Invitational, Nicodemus Naimadu -- the reigning indoor national champion in the 5000 meters -- finished second in the 5000 meters in 13:39.37 to automatically qualify for the national meet. Lucky Hade -- the reigning indoor national champion in the 800 meters -- finished fifth in the 1500 meters in 3:44.03 to automatically qualify for the national meet.

On the women's side, Adeh Mwamba finished third in the 1500 meters in 4:21.61 to automatically qualify for the national meet. The only provisional qualifier on the men's side was Laurant Ngirakamaro in the 10,000 meters (29:26.25).  Ngirakamaro's time is a new ACU record in the 10,000 meters, breaking the old mark of 29:31.42 set in 1997 by Fallody Moonga.

The ACU women produced two provisional qualifiers at the Stanford Invitational: Olha Kryv'yak in the 1500 meters (sixth in 4:28.50) and Trina Cox in the 3000 Steeplechase (fifth in 10:26.28).  Cox's time in the steeplechase is both a new ACU and LSC record, and makes her the sixth-best performer in the event in NCAA Division II history.

At Baylor, the ACU women produced just four provisional qualifiers, including pole vaulter Angie Aguilar, who won the event with a mark of 12-5.50.

Other provisional qualifiers were Shawna-Kaye Thompson in the 100 meters (third in 11.73) and pole vaulters Katie Eckley and Val Gorter (tied for second at 11-11.75). The ACU men produced three provisional qualifiers, including junior Cory Aguilar, who won the pole vault with a mark of 16 feet, 0.75 inches. Also posting provisional marks were Marvin Bien-Aime in the 200 meters (second in 21.48) and Delt Cockrell in the 400 meters (fourth in 47.53).

Both ACU track and field teams will return to action Saturday at the Oliver Jackson Open Track and Field meet at Elmer Gray Stadium.  The meet is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. with running events set to start at 1 p.m.