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GREENSBORO, N.C. - Facing elimination and needing to unhurl her most important throw of the season, sophomore javelin thrower Casey Wagner of the University of South Florida track and field team did just that, tying her all-time personal best as she punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships Thursday.
Wagner placed seventh overall at the NCAA East Preliminary Round at the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T, with the top 12 in each event qualifying for the national meet June 9-12 at Oregon.
"I'm really excited to go to nationals," said Wagner. "I can't wait to go back out to Oregon and compete there again. I loved it there last year (when she competed at the USA Junior National Championships). This will be a great experience for me, getting to see and compete with some of the best throwers in the nation."
In earning a trip to nationals, Wagner became USF's first-ever national qualifier in the javelin - men or women. Wagner entered the meet ranked ninth in the East Region.
USF could add its second qualifier tomorrow as sophomore David Aristil put himself in good position to earn a spot in the national meet, placing second overall in the first round of the 400 hurdles. The top 24 advanced to the quarterfinal Friday, and Aristil needs to finish 12th or better in the quarterfinal to earn a trip to Oregon for nationals.
The quarterfinal of the 400 hurdles will take place Friday at 7 p.m. Aristil was ranked fourth in the East Region heading into the meet.
Aristil ran 50.45 Thursday, finishing behind first-round leader Johnny Dutch of South Carolina. He was just 0.03 seconds off his all-time PR of 50.42 set at the BIG EAST Championships earlier this month when he took home the conference title.
Needing to finish in the top 16 after her first three throws to advance to the final and have a shot of making it to nationals, Wagner found herself just outside that 16th spot with one throw left.
"Every one of my teammates starting cheering and I got really pumped up," said Wagner. "I could feel my heartbeat. I just fed off that energy."
Her day did not end as she threw 155-7 on that third throw to put her sixth heading into the final. She later dropped one spot to seventh after the top 16 competitors had completed their second set of throws.
That distance tied her PR - and school record - set at the Penn Relays in late April.
USF has now had at least one athlete qualify for the national meet since 1999.
Senior Sean Young saw his collegiate career come to a close, as he jumped 16-2.75 as he took 25th overall. Young was a 2008 NCAA Championship participant before missing last season due to injury.
Senior Greg Fontus competed in the 100 meters Thursday at the prelims, running a time of 10.64 to put him 39th overall. The former walk-on also competed in the 200 meters at last year's Regional meet.
Sophomore Sarah Canter was the last of five Bulls to compete during the first day of the prelim, as she also came in 39th in the javelin.
USF will continue action tomorrow during the second day of the preliminary round. Sophomore Lauren Noe will throw the hammer at 11 a.m., with juniors Dana Webb and Stephanie Duffy competing in the pole vault at 4 p.m. Senior Michael Kursteiner high jumps at 5, the same time senior Yvana Hepburn will run the first round of the 100 hurdles. Along with Aristil, sophomore Nicole Rozario will wrap things up Friday in the 3,000 steeplechase at 9:10 in the evening.
