JACKSONVILLE, Fla./COLLEGE STATION, Texas – A total of four student-athletes representing American Athletic Conference schools logged national qualifying marks on day two of 2021 NCAA Track & Field Preliminary Regionals on Thursday. Three competitors advanced out of the NCAA East Regional at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville and an additional athlete qualified at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station.
 
Three competitors from Memphis took part in the women’s hammer throw at the East Regional. Vigdis Jonsdottir placed 23rd with a top throw of 59.74m (196-0), followed by Samantha Lenton in 25th place at 59.28m (194-6.0). Amber Simpson finished in 31st place with an attempt of 57.98m (190-3.0). Due to technical difficulties at the West Regional, advancing competitors will not be determined until Friday.
 
Mona Jaidi from Memphis qualified for the national meet with a 10th-place finish in the East Regional women’s javelin. Jaidi posted a top distance of 50.86m (166-10) to advance to Eugene. Teammate Elina Nebl narrowly missed out on a qualification mark by finishing 23rd at 47.44m (155-8.0), followed by Mari-Liis Tulev in 27th place (46.55m/152-8.0). Tulane’s Hannah Patrick was 43rd at 41.60m (136-6.0). Alison Lund from Tulsa was the top American finisher in the West Regional in 38th place (43.85m/143-10) and Wichita State’s Kourtni Hubert placed 40th (43.02m/141-2.0)
 
Cincinnati’s Malin Smith was on the verge of qualification in the women’s shot put in the East Regional, placing 15th with a mark of 16.08m (52-9.25). Memphis’ Samantha Lenton was 31st with a top effort of 15.36m (50-4.75) and Poorna Raorane was 45th at 13.78m (45-2.50). At the West Regional, Houston’s Nu’uausala Tuilefano was 43rd with a mark of 14.81m (48-7.25).
 
South Florida’s Shaniya Benjamin advanced to NCAA Nationals for the first time after a strong showing in the women’s long jump in the East Regionals. Benjamin threw down a top jump of 6.53m (21-5.25) to finish in fifth place and qualify for the national meet. Jasmine Scott-Kilgo of UCF placed 29th with a mark of 5.99m (19-8.0). Samiyah Samuels from Houston posted a national qualifying mark at the West Regionals, finishing seventh at 6.55m (21-6.0). SMU’s Raelyn Roberson finished 21st at 6.26m (20-6.50) and Wichita State’s Jacque Darby checked in 39th (5.91m/19-4.75).
 
East Carolina’s Sommer Knight advanced by way of a jump-off in the women’s pole vault at the East Regional, clearing 4.17m (13-8.25) to get into the tie for the Nationals bid. Tulane’s Nastja Modic narrowly missed qualification, finishing in 15th after clearing 4.17m (13-8.25). Rachel Coghill of Cincinnati was 25th at 4.07m (13-4.25) and South Florida’s Stephanie Lambeth was 34th after a top clearance of 3.92m (12-10.25). In the West Regional, Houston’s Sarah Howe was 23rd after clearing 4.07m (13-4.25).
 
Rayniah Jones of UCF comfortably advanced to Saturday’s final round of the East Regional women’s 100-meter hurdles, placing sixth in the opening round field with a time of 12.91. South Florida’s Shaneylix Davila will join Jones following a time of 13.13 to claim 16th place. UCF’s Alexis Woodley just missed the next round in 25th place with a time of 13.27, and East Carolina’s Brooke Stith took 37th in 13.60. Tulane’s Kyah Loyd was just behind Stith in 39th at 13.60. SMU’s Jernaya Sharp was safely through in the West Regionals, placing 14th with a time of 13.11. Houston’s Sarah Belle finished 30th with a time of 13.39 and teammate Naomi Taylor was 33rd in 13.47.
 
Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather was the leading American finisher in the women’s 1500-meter run at the East Regional meet, cross the line in 37th with a time of 4:26.11. Yazmine Wright from Wichita State claimed 39th place at the West Regional with a time of 4:32.08.
 
Caisja Chandler of Cincinnati advanced to the next round in the women’s 100-meter dash, taking ninth in the East Regional opening round with a time of 11.28. UCF’s Rayniah Jones moved on to another event quarterfinal in 11th place at 11.29. East Carolina’s Melicia Mouzzon narrowly missed the qualification window in 27th with a time of 11.52. South Florida’s Kadesha Prescott was 38th with a time of 11.63. Houston was well represented in the first round of racing at the West Regional, as Brianne Bethel (seventh, 11.12), Tristan Evelyn (ninth, 11.19), Cecilia Tamayo-Garza (12th, 11.26) and Camille Rutherford (14th, 11.27) all moved on. SMU’s Chelsea Francis captured a fifth American qualification time in 21st overall with a 11.38 finish.
 
UCF’s Latasha Smith capped her entry in the women’s 400-meter dash just on the outside of qualification range at the East Regional with a time of 53.75 to take 31st place. Cincinnati’s Tiona Lattimore was 42nd (54.87), South Florida’s Gabrielle Desrosiers was 44th (55.34) and Tulane’s Maya Harewood was 45th (55.74). SMU’s Chika Iwuamadi advanced to the next round of the West Regional in 12th place with a time of 52.54.
 
Alanna Lally from Temple will compete in Saturday’s quarterfinal of the women’s 800-meter run at the East Regional after placing 22nd with a time of 2:06.03.
 
South Florida’s Jae’Nisa Heckstall cruised into a qualifying slot in the East Regional women’s 400-meter hurdles with a 14th-place time of 58.48. Selena Wright of UCF took 40th place with a time of 1:00.63 and East Carolina’s Shellbi Chapman was 45th in 1:02.97. Ashton Woods from SMU punched her ticket to the next round of the West Regional with a 12th-place time of 58.64. Houston’s Imari Chatman clinched the final qualifying spot in 24th place with a time of 59.46. Teammate Erin Derrow placed 37th in 1:00.84.
 
Caisja Chandler of Cincinnati advanced to her second East Regional weekend quarterfinal after placing 14th in the women’s 200-meter dash with a time of 23.34. Houston’s Brianne Bethel added another qualifying time in the West Regional by finishing the 200-meter dash in 10th place with a time of 22.91, as did Cougar teammates Cecila Tamayo-Garza (18th, 23.15) and Camille Rutherford (21st, 23.22).  
 
American champion Caitlin Klopfer from Tulsa turned in a game effort in the women’s 10,000-meter run at the West Regional, finishing the initial round in 18th place with a time of 35:02.97.
 
American Athletes At The NCAA East Regionals – Thursday, May 27

Cincinnati
Caisja Chandler, Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($ninth, 11.28); Women’s 200-Meter Dash ($14th, 23.34)
Rachel Coghill, Women’s Pole Vault (25th, 4.07m/13-4.25)
Tiona Lattimore, Women’s 400-Meter Dash (42nd, 54.87)
Ellie Leather, Women’s 1500-Meter Run (37th, 4:26.11)
Malin Smith, Women’s Shot Put (15th, 16.08m/52-9.25)
 
East Carolina
Shellbi Chapman, Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles (45th, 1:02.97)
Sommer Knight, Women’s Pole Vault (*12th, 4.17m/13-8.25)
Melicia Mouzzon, Women’s 100-Meter Dash (27th, 11.52)
Brooke Stith, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles (37th, 13.60)
 
Memphis
Mona Jaidi, Women’s Javelin (*10th, 50.86m/166-10)
Vigdis Jonsdottir, Women’s Hammer Throw (23rd, 59.74m/196-0)
Samantha Lenton, Women’s Hammer Throw (25th, 59.28m/194-6.0); Women’s Shot Put (31st, 15.36m/50-4.75)
Elina Nebl, Women’s Javelin (23rd, 47.44m/155-8.0)
Poorna Raorane, Women’s Shot Put (45th, 13.78m/45-2.50)
Amber Simpson, Women’s Hammer Throw (31st, 57.98m/190-3.0)
Mari-Liis Tulev, Women’s Javelin (27th, 46.55m/152-8.0)
 
South Florida
Shaniya Benjamin, Women’s Long Jump (*fifth, 6.53m/21-5.25)
Shaneylix Davila, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles ($16th, 13.13)
Gabrielle Desrosiers, Women’s 400-Meter Dash (44th, 55.34)
Jae’Nisa Heckstall, Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles ($14th, 58.48)
Stephanie Lambeth, Women’s Pole Vault (34th, 3.92m/12-10.25)
Kadesha Prescott, Women’s 100-Meter Dash (38th, 11.63)
 
Temple
Alanna Lally, Women’s 800-Meter Run ($22nd, 2:06.03)
 
Tulane
Maya Harewood, Women’s 400-Meter Dash (45th, 55.74)
Kyah Loyd, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles (39th, 13.60)
Hannah Patrick, Women’s Javelin (43rd, 41.60m/136-6.0)
Nastja Modic, Women’s Pole Vault (15th, 4.17m/13-8.25)
 
UCF
Rayniah Jones, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles ($sixth, 12.91); Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($11th, 11.29)
Jasmine Scott-Kilgo, Women’s Long Jump (29th, 5.99m/19-8.0)
Latasha Smith, Women’s 400-Meter Dash (31st, 53.75)
Alexis Woodley, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles (25th, 13.27)
Selena Wright, Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles (40th, 1:00.63)
 
 
American Athletes At The NCAA West Regionals – Thursday, May 27

Houston
Sarah Belle, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles (30th, 13.39)
Brianne Bethel, Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($seventh, 11.12); Women’s 200-Meter Dash ($10th, 22.91)
Imari Chatman, Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles ($24th, 59.46)
Erin Derrow, Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles (37th, 1:00.84)
Tristan Evelyn, Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($ninth, 11.12)
Sarah Howe, Women’s Pole Vault (23rd, 4.07m/13-4.25)
Camille Rutherford, Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($14th, 11.12); Women’s 200-Meter Dash ($21st, 23.22)
Samiyah Samuels, Women’s Long Jump (*seventh, 6.55m/21-6.0)
Naomi Taylor, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles (33rd, 13.47)
Cecila Tamayo-Garza, Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($12th, 11.26); Women’s 200-Meter Dash ($18th, 23.15)
Nu’uausala Tuilefano, Women’s Shot Put (43rd, 14.81m/48-7.25)
 
SMU
Chelsea Francis, Women’s 100-Meter Dash ($21st, 11.38)
Chika Iwuamadi, Women’s 400-Meter Dash ($12th, 52.54)
Raelyn Roberson, Women’s Long Jump (21st, 6.26m/20-6.50)
Jernaya Sharp, Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles ($14th, 13.11)
Ashton Woods, Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles ($12th, 58.64)
 
Tulsa
Caitlin Klopfer, Women’s 10,000-Meter Run (18th, 35:02.97)
Alison Lund, Women’s Javelin (38th, 43.85m/143-10.0)
 
Wichita State
Jacque Darby, Women’s Long Jump (39th, 5.91m/19-4.75)
Kourtni Hubert, Women’s Javelin (40th, 43.02m/141-2.0)
Yazmine Wright, Women’s 1500-Meter Run (39th, 4:32.08)
 
*- Qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 9-12 in Eugene, Oregon
$- Advanced to the next round