Illini Boast 16 Qualifiers to NCAA West Preliminary Round

Women's Track & Field May 19, 2011

Illini Boast 16 Qualifiers to NCAA West Preliminary Round

May 19, 2011

NCAA Declaration List | NCAA West Preliminary Round Central

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois women's track and field team boasts 16 qualifiers in 14 events, including both relays, to the NCAA West Preliminary Round of Championship at the University of Oregon in Eugene from May 26-28, as announced by the NCAA and the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday. Last season, the NCAA switched post-season formats for the outdoor track championships going from four regional sites to East and West preliminary round sites. The East NCAA Preliminary Rounds will be held at the same time in Bloomington, Ind.

Each preliminary round site will host the top 48 declared athletes -- or 24 relay teams -- in each event, with the exception of the heptathlon. The preliminary round will serve as the first two rounds of competition for the NCAA championships, narrowing the field in each event to 12 from each region.

The top 12 performers from each preliminary round site will then advance to compete at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 8-11.

The Illini are ranked in the top 20 in eight different events, led by sophomore Stephanie Morgan in the 1,500m at No. 4. The 4x100m relay is also in the top 10 at No. 9 in the event while the 4x400m relay sits just outside at No. 12. Senior Tamika Robinson is seeded 13th in the 100m hurdles and 19th in the 100m dash, and fellow senior Chantelle Groenewoud is listed at No. 15 in the 3,000m steeplechase. Juniors Latoya Griffith, who is seeded 18th in the 400m hurdles, and Ashley Kelly, who is ranked 20th in the 200m, are also among the top-20 competitors in their respective events. A full list of Illinois athletes heading to the NCAA Preliminary Round can be found below.