2006 Mideast Regional Information

May 24, 2006

ATHENS, Ohio - After two months of outdoor track and field competition, five Ohio University athletes have qualified to compete this weekend in the 2006 NCAA Mideast Regionals. Jessica Kestler, Brian King, Jaclyn Lugaila, Scott Mayle and Chelsea Stephan will represent Ohio in Knoxville, Tenn., at the Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium on the University of Tennessee's campus.

"With the regional format, it gets tougher every year to qualify, so the fact that we have five going shows we are moving in the right direction" Head Coach Clay Calkins said. "We will have four of the five athletes returning next year, so that's exciting for the future."

"I'm hoping for the best for all of them and believe they all have a shot to go to the championships," Calkins added. "They will have to be ready though to compete because the competition is strong."

Athletes qualify for the regional event by meeting standards set by the NCAA in each event or by earning an automatic-bid as a conference champion. In each event, the top four finishers from each of the four regionals will advance with two at-large participants from the stronger regionals to the June 7-10 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium.

For the men, King (Richfield, Minn.) will compete in the 3,000m steeplechase at the NCAA Regionals. The 2006 Academic All-MAC junior qualified for the event at the April 27-29 Hillsdale Relays with a time of 9:03.14, fourth-best mark in school history. The top seed in the Mideast Region is Alabama's Augustus Maiyo, who clocked a time of 8:41.01, best in the nation.

"The competition will be very tight in his event," Calkins said. "Brian hasn't yet tapped his full potential, so he has more room for growth."

Having missed the last month of the indoor season and most of the outdoor season due to injury and spring football, Mayle (Philippi, W.Va.) still managed to qualify for the long jump. He will now focus on defending his 2005 Mideast Regional Long Jump title. Besides posting a qualifying mark of 7.70m (25-03.25) at the Hillsdale Relays, Mayle also qualified for the meet by winning the event at the MAC Championships.

This will be his third trip to the regionals. In 2003 and 2005, he also qualified for the NCAA Championships. Seeded fifth, he has yet to reach his personal best mark of 26-00 this season, which he set last year to win the regional. The top seed is LSU's Jeremy Hicks, who posted a mark of 7.89m.

Calkins believes that Mayle has done a good job of facing the pressure of trying to repeat as the regional champion and to also qualify for the NCAA Championships for the third time.

"He's been very relaxed and has always been a strong competitor," Calkins said. "His previous accomplishments are a testament to his determination and willingness to compete against the top athletes."

On the women's side, Kestler (Maineville) will compete in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Regionals. The sophomore qualified for the event at the May 11-13 MAC Championships, where she placed third with a time of 59.99 seconds, the third-best performance in Ohio women's track history. The top seed is Auburn's Markita James, who clocked a 55.40, third in the nation.

"In the regional format, they have prelims and finals, so she certainly has a shot to move on," Calkins explained. "You have to run the prelims like it's the finals, and if she can advance, who knows what can happen."

Lugaila (Waterford, Pa.), one of the top throwers in Ohio women's track and field history, is the only Bobcat who will be participating in two separate events, the hammer throw and the shot put. The senior hit the qualifying mark several times in the shot put and posted her highest mark of 14.89m, a school record, at the April 15 Bobcat Invitational. The top seed is Southern Illinois' Amarachi Ukabam, who posted a mark of 17.17m, seventh in the nation.

In the hammer throw, Lugaila posted a school record mark of 54.52m at the Hillsdale Relays to qualify for her second event at the regionals. Southern Illinois' Brittany Riley holds the top mark at 66.07m, sixth in the nation.

"The fact that she's competing in two different throwing events will not hurt her," Calkins explained. "She's confident in both events and will do a great job like she has all season long for us."

Stephan (Brookville) will compete in the javelin after having qualified for the event at the MAC Championships. The junior placed fourth at the meet with a throw of 44.38m, the fourth-best performance in Ohio women's track history. Purdue's Kara Patterson holds the top seed at 56.19m, second in the nation.

"Competition's also tough in this event, but you never know what can happen," Calkins said. "She's really progressed a long way since last year."

Lugaila will be the first Bobcat to compete this weekend, as the women's shot put is slated for 3 p.m. on Friday. Mayle is next in the long jump at 6:00 p.m., and Stephan follows with the javelin at 6:45 p.m.

Kestler will compete in the 400m hurdles prelims at 7:20 p.m. on Friday. Those advancing will compete in the finals at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Lugaila will return on Saturday for the hammer throw at 11 a.m. King will wait until Saturday to compete, as the 3,000m steeplechase is scheduled for 8:10 p.m.