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Solares Leads Owls to NCAA Regionals
5/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
May 25, 2006
Houston -
Conference USA champion Pablo Solares leads five Rice track and field athletes vying for berths in the NCAA national meet as he competes Friday in the prelims of the 1500-meters at the NCAA Midwest Regional at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. Solares, who set a personal-best of 3:44.43 in winning the C-USA crown at El Paso two weeks ago, has the second-fastest time in the field behind Colorado's Big 12 champion, Stephen Pifer.
The top five finishers in each event at the regional meet qualify for participation in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 7-10 at Sacramento, Calif. The NCAA may also award a minimum of five at-large bids in each event for the national championship meet.
Senior Jason Powell has the top qualifying mark in the triple jump entering the regionals, and will be joined in that event by Devon Fanfair. Powell, who was second at the C-USA meet, has a 2006 best of 16.16 meters/53-0.25, and C-USA bronze medalist Fanfair has spanned 15.69/51-5.75 this season.
High jumper Omar Wright will have the most difficult road to nationals as he takes on the strongest field in any of the four regions. Wright, who cleared a school-record-tying personal-best of 2.19/7-2.25 for silver at the C-USA championships, once again faces UTEP's Mickael Hanany and a strong trio of former Texas preps in Andra Manson of Texas, Dusty Jonas of Nebraska and Scott Sellers of Kansas State. The Cayman islands national record-holder, Wright is tied for sixth on the Midwest rankings list coming into the regionals.
On the track, senior David Axel goes Saturday in the 3000-meter steeplechase, where he has a personal-best of 9:04.53 to rank 14th entering the regionals. Axel, who contested the 10,000 and 5000 instead of his specialty at the C-USA meet due to graduation, was also a regional qualifier last year.
Friday, May 26
Field Events
1 p.m. Hammer (M) trials & final
2 p.m. Long Jump (M) trials & final
Long Jump (W) trials & final
3 p.m. Shot Put (W) trials & final
Javelin (W) trials & final
6 p.m. Discus (M) trials & final
High Jump (W) final
Pole Vault (M) final
Track Events
4 p.m. 4x100 (W) prelims
4:15 p.m. 4x100 (M) prelims
4:30 p.m. 1500m (W) prelims
4:55 p.m. 1500m (M) prelims
5:20 p.m. 100m Hurdles (W) prelims
5:40 p.m. 110m Hurdles (M) prelims
6 p.m. 800m (W) prelims
6:20 p.m. 800m (M) prelims
6:40 p.m. 100m (W) prelims
7 p.m. 100m (M) prelims
7:20 p.m. 400m Hurdles (W) prelims
7:40 p.m. 400m Hurdles (M) prelims
8 p.m. 400m (W) prelims
8:20 p.m. 400m (M) prelims
8:40 p.m. 200m (W) prelims
9 p.m. 200m (M) prelims
9:20 p.m. 5000m (W) finals
9:40 p.m. 5000m (M) finals
Saturday, May 27
Field Events
1 p.m. Hammer (W) trials & final
2 p.m. Triple Jump (M)trials & final
Triple Jump (W) trials & final
3 p.m. Shot Put (M) trials & final
Javelin (M) trials & final
6 p.m. Discus (W) trials & final
High Jump (M) final
Pole Vault (W) final
Track Events
5:30 p.m. 4x100 (W) finals
5:40 p.m. 4x100 (M) finals
5:50 p.m. 1500m (W) finals
6 p.m. 1500m (M) finals
6:10 p.m. 100m Hurdles (W) finals
6:20 p.m. 110m Hurdles (M) finals
6:30 p.m. 800m (W) finals
6:40 p.m. 800m (M) finals
6:50 p.m. 100m (W) finals
7 p.m. 100m (M) finals
7:10 p.m. 400m Hurdles (W) finals
7:20 p.m. 400m Hurdles (M) finals
7:30 p.m. 400m (W) finals
7:40 p.m. 400m (M) finals
7:50 p.m. 200m (W) finals
8 p.m. 200m (M) finals
8:10 p.m. 3000m Steeple (W) finals
8:35 p.m. 3000m Steeple (M) finals
9 p.m. 4x400m (W) finals
9:15 p.m. 4x400m (M) finals
Players Mentioned
