University of Illinois
NCAA Mideast Regional Championships
Bizzarri Repeats as Regional Champ in 5,000m
May 29, 2009 | Women's Track & Field
May 29, 2009
Results
Complete Results 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Angela Bizzarri won the 5,000m title at the NCAA Mideast Region Championships for the second straight year Friday night at Louisville's Cardinal Park, punching her ticket to the NCAA Championships. The top five finishers in each individual event in each of the four regional meets throughout the country receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, scheduled for June 10-13.
Bizzarri, the 2009 Big Ten 5,000m Champion, ran a time of 16:11.00 on Friday to edge Wisconsin's Gwen Jorgenson by half a second. With the win, Bizzarri becomes Illinois' seventh regional champion since the regional meets started in 2003, and is the program's first two-time winner. A six-time All-American, she entered the weekend ranked second in the nation in the event.
"Angela was superb today," head coach Tonja Buford-Bailey said. "She came in ranked first in the region so her strategy was to conserve throughout the race and kick at the end and she accomplished that. I think she's well on her way to improving on last year's second place finish at the NCAA championships."
The Illini 4x100m relay automatically advanced to tomorrow's final by winning its heat, as the foursome of Aja Evans, Ashley Kelly, Omoye Ugiagbe and Tamika Robinson timed 45.69, just 0.01 off their season-best time of 45.68. The Orange and Blue will be the third seed in tomorrow's final scheduled for 3 p.m. LSU blazed to the top time of the day, running 43.92 in prelims and setting a facility record.
Illinois will have two athletes in tomorrow's 400m final, as sophomore Melissa Bates and freshman Ryisha Boyd ran the seventh and eighth best times in preliminaries to qualify. Bates timed 54.23, while Boyd ran 54.52. Senior Omoye Ugiagbe also ran the 400m, finishing 13th in trials with a time of 54.96.
Two individuals will also represent Illinois in Saturday's 400m hurdles final as senior Deserea Brown and freshman Latoya Griffith both won their qualifying heats on Friday. Brown, the 2009 Big Ten Champion in the event, ran a 58.88, which makes her the fourth seed in the finals. Griffith, meanwhile, turned in a time of 59.07 to rank sixth coming out of the prelims.
In the long jump, junior Alecia Beckford-Stewart and sophomore Jessica Penney both turned in impressive performances, but just missed finishing in the top five required to earn a trip to NCAAs. Beckford-Stewart had a leap of 20 feet, 2 ¼ inches to finish in seventh place, only 2 ¼ inches out of fifth and just ¼ inch off her personal best. Penny was right behind her teammate, placing eighth with a jump of 20 feet, ½ inch.
Senior Nikkita Holder missed qualifying for the 100m hurdles final by one place and 0.03 seconds, as she timed a season-best 13.59 to finish ninth in trials. Sophomore Jessica Penney also ran the event, finishing 24th with a time of 14.08.
"We had a very good day all around," Buford-Bailey said. "We have two finalists in both the 400 and 400 hurdles and the 4x100 making finals is a big accomplishment, as they were seeded 21st coming in. Also, Alecia Beckford-Stewart and Jessica Penney both performed very well in the long jump even though they came up just short of the top five. We have a lot of people competing tomorrow, so it could a big day for us."
Illinois will continue action at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships on Saturday, highlighted by Aja Evans in the shot put, Chantelle Groenewoud in the 3,000m steeplechase and finals of the running events. Live results can be found at www.deltatiming.com and also linked on www.fightingillini.com.
Illinois Friday Results at NCAA Mideast Regional Championships
Q/q = qualified for Saturday Final
5,000m (FINAL)
1. Angela Bizzarri 16:11.00 **Receives automatic bid to NCAA Outdoor Championships
15. Kristin Sutherland 17:19.96
Long Jump (FINAL)
7. Alecia Beckford-Stewart 20-2 ¼ (6.15m)
8. Jessica Penney 20-0 ½ (6.11m)
4x100m Relay Prelims
3. Illinois 45.69 Q
(Aja Evans, Ashley Kelly, Omoye Ugiagbe, Tamika Robinson)
100m Hurdles Prelims
9. Nikkita Holder 13.59
24. Jessica Penney 14.08
400m Prelims
7. Melissa Bates 54.23 q
8. Ryisha Boyd 54.52 q
13. Omoye Ugiagbe 54.96
400m Hurdles Prelims
4. Deserea Brown 58.88 Q
6. Latoya Griffith 59.07 Q
Illinois Remaining Schedule at NCAA Mideast Regional Championships
(All times Central)
Saturday, May 30
1:30 p.m. Shot Put (Aja Evans)
3 p.m. 4x100m Relay Final (Aja Evans, Ashley Kelly, Omoye Ugiagbe, Tamika Robinson)
4 p.m. Triple Jump (Alexandria Smith)
4:15 p.m. 400m Final (Melissa Bates, Ryisha Boyd)
4:40 p.m. 400m Hurdles Final (Deserea Brown, Latoya Griffith)
5:15 p.m. 3,000m Steeplechase Final (Chantelle Groenewoud)
6:05 p.m. 4x400m Relay Final (Deserea Brown, Omoye Ugiagbe, Ryisha Boyd, Melissa Bates)
