NCAA EAST REGIONALS QUALIFIERS LISTS: Men | Women
MOUNT PLEASANT – Eight Central Michigan track and field student-athletes have qualified to compete in the NCAA East Region Preliminary Rounds at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., beginning Thursday May 24.
Five from the men's team – Alex Rose, Ryan McCullough, Kevin Mays, Branden Post and Josh Kettlewell – qualified in six events, and three from the women's team – Milica Kulidzan, Holly Anderson and Bridget Doughty - will be competing. The NCAA announced the full qualifier list of the top 48 student-athletes in each event Thursday afternoon.
“We've been very focused on having a balanced team, and we're very excited for these student-athletes who have earned this post-season competition,” director of track and field and cross country Willie Randolph said. “Were looking forward to them taking advantage of this opportunity and qualifying for the National Championships.”
Junior thrower Alex Rose, who this past weekend claimed the Mid-American Conference Championship in the discus, is both the top-ranked CMU student-athlete and the only Chippewa competing in multiple events. He is ranked sixth in the discus at 184-10, and is also 43rd in the shot put at 56-02.
Rose will look to advance to the NCAA Championships to claim his second consecutive All-America honor in the discus.
Senior thrower and 2012 MAC Championships Outstanding Field Performer Ryan McCullough is ranked tenth in the region in the hammer throw with his MAC Championship and school-record mark of 210-07.
Freshman Milica Kulidzan, sitting at 19th in the javelin with a school-record mark of 151-03, is the top-ranked CMU woman and one of the two true freshmen to qualify for the Chippewas. She was the women's team's sole All-MAC performer with her runner-up finish in the javelin this past weekend.
Senior thrower Kevin Mays is ranked 21st in the hammer throw after a career-best mark of 200-00 at the MAC Championships this past weekend. He will look to become an All-American for the second time this academic year after claiming second-team honors during the indoor season in the weight throw.
Senior Holly Anderson, ranked 29th in the 10,000m run with her school-record 34:45.70 performance at the Stanford Invitational, is the top-ranked runner for the Chippewas.
Senior hurdler Branden Post, the recently-crowned MAC Champion in the 400m hurdles, is the only student-athlete from the men's team to qualify in a running event. He is seeded 31st with his career-best time of 52.11 at the MAC Championships. Post is a two-time MAC 400m hurdles champion, winning this year and in 2010.
Senior multi-event student-athlete Josh Kettlewell qualified 38th in the pole vault with his mark of 16-09.25 at the Lyle Bennett Open. Kettlewell is the only non-thrower field event student-athlete to qualify for the Chippewas.
Freshman hurdler Bridget Doughty cut 3.5 seconds off of her 400m hurdles time from the beginning of the season to now to qualify 45th in the event. She is seeded with her third-place 59.92 performance at the MAC Championships after starting the season at 1:03.38 at the LSU Relays.
