Michigan
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Gall, LaValley Advance at NCAA Outdoor Championships
6/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Site: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
Event: NCAA Outdoor Championships (Day 1)
U-M Team Standing: No Points After Day 1
Next U-M Event: Thu-Sat., June 12-14 -- at NCAA Outdoor Championships (Des Moines, Iowa)
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Juniors Geena Gall (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) and Katie LaValley (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Central) of the University of Michigan women's track and field team advanced in running events on day one of the NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday (June 11) at Drake Stadium on Jim Duncan Track.
Gall, the lone Wolverine in the 800-meter run, automatically advanced to the semifinals by placing second in the opening heat. Gall's 2:06.21 turned out to be the second-fastest time of the 27-person field, trailing only Tennessee's Phoebe Wright (2:06.10). Gall edged out Texas' Temeka Kincy (2:06.27) and Big Ten champion Heather Dorniden of Minnesota (2:06.27) as her heat produced the four fastest times of the opening round. The 800-meter run semifinals are slated for 6:15 p.m. CDT Thursday.
In the 400-meter hurdles, LaValley automatically advanced to the semifinals by placing second in her heat (58.45) with the ninth-fastest time of the preliminary round. The semifinal round is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. CDT Thursday. Junior Amber Hay (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) also competed in the event, finishing 21st overall with a time of 59.86 that was good for fifth place in the opening heat.
Freshman Emily Pendleton (Lindsey, Ohio/Woodmore) competed in the discus and missed qualification for the finals by two positions, finishing 14th in the preliminary round. Her best mark of 160-3 (48.84m) came on her first throw of the day.
Junior Casey Taylor (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) competed in the long jump preliminaries and posted a mark of 19-1 1/2 (5.83m) on her first jump of the competition. She fouled her next two attempts to finish 28th overall in the event.
The Wolverines will return to action tomorrow (Thursday, June 12) for the second day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In addition to semifinal action for Gall and LaValley, junior Tiffany Ofili (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti) will begin defense of her NCAA 100-meter hurdles championship with the first round at 4:30 p.m. CDT, while senior Nicole Edwards (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey) will open up competition in the 1,500-meter run with the semifinals at 6:55 p.m.
Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day 1)
Discus (Prelims) 1. McKenzie Garberg, Washington St. 177-3Q (54.04m) 14. Emily Pendleton, U-M 160-3 (48.84m) Long Jump (Prelims) 1. Blessing Okagbare, UTEP 21-10Q (6.65m) 28. Casey Taylor, U-M 19-1 1/2 (5.83m) 800-meter Run (Prelims) Heat 1 1. Phoebe Wright, Tennessee 2:06.10Q 2. Geena Gall, U-M 2:06.21Q 400-meter Hurdles Heat 1 1. Nickiesha Wilson, LSU 57.31Q 5. Amber Hay, U-M 59.86 Heat 2 1. Takecia Jameson, Miami 58.39Q 2. Katie LaValley, U-M 58.45Q Qq indicates qualification for next round
Players Mentioned
