May 17, 2012
BERKELEY -
Led by junior Deborah Maier, the No. 1 seed in the women's 10,000 meters, California has qualified 26 individuals and one relay for the NCAA West Preliminary meet that will determine entrants for the national track & field championships next month.
The NCAA West Preliminary meet will be contested May 24-26 on the University of Texas campus in Austin. The site includes representatives from 25 states and features 48 entries in individual events and the top 24 relay teams. First-round and quarterfinal heats will narrow the list of competitors to 12 in each event, with the semifinals and championship events held at the NCAA Championships set for June 6-9 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Maier became the third-fastest 10K runner in NCAA history when she posted a Pac-12 and school-record time of 32:12.47 in the 10,000 at the Payton Jordan Invitational April 29. The multi-time track and cross country All-American set the mark in her first attempt at the 10K distance after previously concentrating on shorter distances. She was the NCAA runner-up in both the 3000 and 5000 meters during the 2012 indoor season.
In addition to Maier, Golden Bears are seeded among the top 12 in six different events: Malaina Payton (5th, women's long jump), Chelsea Reilly (8th, women's 5000m), Brian Carmichael (8th, men's high jump), Collin Jarvis (9th, men's 3000m steeplechase) and Hammed Suleman (10th, men's long jump; 12th, men's triple jump).
Cal is deepest in the triple jump, where there are four qualifiers on the men's side - Suleman, Taylor Kientzel, Jonte Grant and Chad Jones - and two for the women's team - Amanda Hunter and Aziza Baker. The Bears also have multiple qualifiers in the men's and women's high jump and men's hammer.
For more information, including the complete meet schedule, visit the West Preliminary website.
California NCAA West Preliminary Meet Qualifiers
Name Event Mark Seed
Men
Chase Wheeler 100m 10.46 35th
Collin Jarvis 3000m steeplechase 8:48.05 8th
Maxime Chevee 5000m 14:07.44 35th
Matt Miller 10,000m 29:30.92 30th
Brian Carmichael High Jump 2.19 8th
Nick Ridge High Jump 2.15 22nd
Harrison Steed High Jump 2.14 28th
Hammed Suleman Long Jump 7.76 10th
Jonte Grant Long Jump 7.64 18th
Chase Wheeler Long Jump 7.63 19th
Hammed Suleman Triple Jump 15.88 12th
Taylor Kientzel Triple Jump 15.57 19th
Jonte Grant Triple Jump 15.45 28th
Chad Jones Triple Jump 15.30 35th
Derek White Discus 57.15 13th
Scott Esparza Hammer 60.29 24th
Derek White Hammer 58.62 43rd
Women
Charnell Price 100m 11.51 17th
Charnell Price 200m 23.74 25th
Taylor Bryson 1500m 4:20.35 15th
Chelsea Reilly 5000m 15:57.53 8th
Deborah Maier 10,000m 32:12.47 1st
Emani Truluck 100m hurdles 13.62 31st
Angelica Weaver 400m hurdles 57.85 15th
Team 4x100m relay 44.89 15th
Gianna Fernandez High Jump 1.76 26th
Kristin Rimbach High Jump 1.75 34th
Malaina Payton Long Jump 6.56 5th
Amanda Hunter Triple Jump 12.73 19th
Aziza Baker Triple Jump 12.72 21st
Linda Oseso Hammer 59.12 25th
