Michigan to Send Program-Best 20 Women to NCAA East Prelims
5/20/2021 11:45:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With the announcement Thursday (May 20) of the qualifiers to the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, the University of Michigan women's track and field team will have all-time program-best depth at its disposal as it embarks on its national postseason campaign.
Led by top-10 seeded All-Americans Ziyah Holman (400 meters) and Alice Hill (steeplechase) and bolstered by tremendous depth in the distance events, the Wolverines will bring 20 entries spanning 11 different events to the East Prelims -- three more than the previous team-record 17 in 2015 -- to be held May 26-29 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.
The four-day competition, which features 48 qualifiers in each individual event and 24 teams in each relay, will serve as the opening rounds of the NCAA Outdoor Championships to be held June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore. The top-12 finishers in each event from the East Region -- in which Michigan competes -- and the top 12 from the West Region will comprise the 24-person fields at Oregon.
Hill is the highest-ranked among a distance crew that runs 13 women deep. Joining her are Big Ten champion Aurora Rynda and Lucy Petee (800 meters); Samantha Tran, Kathryn House, All-American Meg Darmofal and Jena Metwalli (1,500 meters); Kayla Windemuller (steeplechase); All-American Ericka VanderLende, House, Katelynne Hart and Samantha Saenz (5,000 meters); and Jessi Larson (10,000 meters).
Big Ten indoor champion Jessica Mercier (pole vault) headlines the field event-squad qualifiers. She is accompanied by Mia Manson (pole vault); Big Ten medalist Katt Miner (high jump); and Amanda Schaare (shot put and discus).
Holman also will run as a leg of the 4x400 relay that advanced to the Prelims.
This marks the second career NCAA East Prelims appearances for Darmofal, Hill, House, Larson, Mercier, Miner and Rynda. All others are first-time qualifiers to the NCAA Outdoor postseason.
Michigan's qualifiers are listed below by event, along with their seed mark, rank and scheduled days of competition.
400 Meters | First round -- Thursday, May 27, at 7:25 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Saturday, May 29 at 7:20 p.m.
Ziyah Holman -- 51.88, No. 7 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
800 Meters | First round -- Thursday, May 27, at 7:50 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Saturday, May 29 at 7:20 p.m.
Aurora Rynda -- 2:03.93, No. 12 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Lucy Petee -- 2:06.58, No. 40 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
1,500 Meters | First round -- Thursday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Saturday, May 29 at 7:20 p.m.
Samantha Tran -- 4:14.35, No. 10 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Kathryn House -- 4:19.72, No. 31 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Meg Darmofal -- 4:21.14, No. 35 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Jena Metwalli -- 4:21.80, No. 41 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
3,000-Meter Steeplechase | Quarterfinals -- Saturday, May 29 at 6:10 p.m.
Alice Hill -- 9:54.19, No. 7 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Kayla Windemuller -- 10:11.78, No. 29 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
5,000 Meters | Semifinals -- Saturday, May 29 at 8:30 p.m.
Ericka VanderLende -- 15:54.27, No. 18 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Kathryn House -- 16:10.66, No. 33 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Katelynne Hart -- 16:14.22, No. 40 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Samantha Saenz -- 16:20.38, No. 48 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
10,000 Meters | Semifinals -- Thursday, May 27 at 9:10 p.m.
Jessi Larson -- 33:39.92, No. 15 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
4x400-Meter Relay | Quarterfinals -- Saturday, May 29 at 9:15 p.m.
Michigan -- 3:35.90, No. 15 seed
High Jump | First round -- Saturday, May 29, at 1 p.m.
Katt Miner -- 1.76m, No. 29 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Pole Vault | First round -- Thursday, May 27, at 3 p.m.
Jessica Mercier -- 4.25m, No. 12 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Mia Manson -- 4.15m, No. 21 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Shot Put | First round -- Thursday, May 27, at 6 p.m.
Amanda Schaare -- 15.69m, No. 44 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Discus | First round -- Saturday, May 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Amanda Schaare -- 51.35m, No. 40 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Players Mentioned
