May 27, 2005

Norman, Oklahoma - TCU sprinters Donita Harmon and Nathandra John advanced through Friday's preliminary round into Saturday's finals, as the 2005 Midwest Regional Track & Field Championships got underway today at the John Jacobs Complex on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman.

Harmon, a junior from Albuquerque, advanced to the finals in the 200 meter dash by placing second in her heat and eighth overall with a time of 23.90 seconds.

John, a sophomore from St. Kitts, was second in her heat and seventh overall in the 400 meter dash, turning in a time of 53.94 seconds.

Three other TCU runners did not fare as well on Friday. Sophomore MaKeatha Cooper will not return to the NCAA Championships after finishing fifth in her heat and ninth overall in the 100 meter hurdles, turning in a time of 13.62 seconds. Her time nearly matched Houston's Alicia Cave, but Cave took the last spot in Saturday's final by two-thousandths of a second (13.617 to 13.619). Sophomore Deborah Jones was third in her heat and 10th overall in the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.09 seconds. Jamee Jones was fifth in her heat and placed 13th overall in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.10 seconds.

"Overall, it was a little disappointing," said TCU head coach Darryl Anderson. "Hopefully we can step it up tomorrow and compete at the level we've competed at all year. Donita and Nathandra both have a chance to advance to the national meet, along with our 4x400 meter relay squad and Zelma Wade in the discus."

Wade will be the first Frog competitor on Saturday, as the discus event opens the meet at noon. John will run in the finals of the 400 at 5:45 p.m., while Harmon will take the track one hour later for the finals of the 200. The women's 4x4, which features Marquita Davis, Deborah Jones, Harmon and John, will compete at 8 p.m.

The top five individuals and the top three teams in the relay events automatically qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held in Sacramento, Calif., June 8-11.