University of Illinois
NCAA Regional Championships
Masheto, Zollner Headed Back to NCAA Championships
June 1, 2008 | Men's Track & Field
May 31, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Illinois men's track and field team will have at least two representatives at the NCAA Championships, as juniors Gakologelwang Masheto and Andrew Zollner earned automatic berths by placing in the top five in their respective events at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships on Saturday at John McDonnell Field. The Illini finished 17th in the regional team standings with 12.5 points.
The top five individuals and top three relays in every event at the regional championships received automatic bids to the NCAA Championships, which will be held from June 11-14 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Masheto placed fourth in the 400m final after leading for the first half of the race, timing a season-best 46.46 seconds to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Mississippi State's Jamil Hubbard won the event title with a time of 45.72. Masheto will be making his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships in the 400m. Last season, he earned All-America honors by placing fourth at the national meet with a personal-best time of 45.51.
"I'm very pleased with how the meet turned out," head coach Wayne Angel said. "I was hoping the mile relay could sneak in there too, but we did well under the circumstances. It is fantastic that Zollner is going to nationals in the pole vault again, and Masheto is starting to get his stride back in the 400m. I'm also happy with our team finish. I know our athletes going to NCAAs will represent the University of Illinois well."
Zollner advanced in exciting fashion, winning a jump-off in the pole vault for the final automatic berth to NCAAs. The Sparta, Ill. native cleared a personal-best 17 feet, 1 inch to tie for fifth, but had to battle to earn his trip to nationals. With three athletes clearing 17'5"and Indiana's Jeff Coover alone in fourth place because he had fewer misses, Zollner and Purdue's Ben Pax were tied for the fifth position. In the jump-off, both athletes missed attempts at 17'5", 17'3" and 17'1" before Zollner cleared 16'11" and Pax missed, giving Zollner the berth to NCAAs. Zollner will also be making his second straight trip to the NCAA Championships. In 2007, he took runner-up in the pole vault at the regional championships to advance.
The Illini 4x400m relay took seventh place, as the squad of junior Yawusa Kinda, sophomore Gary Miller, freshman Cody Wisslead and Masheto timed 3:08.59. Mississippi State won the relay title in 3:05.62, as the teams from LSU and Kentucky both dropped their batons.
Senior Nick Brown ended his Illinois career by placing 15th in the triple jump with a mark of 50' 3/4".
Illinois NCAA Mideast Regional Championships Saturday Results
400m (FINAL)
4. Gakologelwang Masheto 46.46
3,000m Steeplechase (FINAL)
-- Rob Pykosz DNF
4x400m Relay (FINAL)
7. Illinois 3:08.59
(Yawusa Kinda, Gary Miller, Cody Wisslead, Gakologelwang Masheto)
Pole Vault (FINAL)
T5. Andrew Zollner 17'1" (5.21m)
Triple Jump (FINAL)
15. Nick Brown 50'0.75" (15.26m)
