Bulldogs tally 6 NCAA qualifying marks
February 6, 2010 by Georgia Sports Communications
Filed under Sports, Track & Field
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Georgia’s throwers racked up three NCAA provisional qualifying marks to highlight Day One at the Virginia Tech Elite meet in Blacksburg, Va., on Friday evening.
Despite freezing temperatures and a wintry mix falling outside, the 22nd-ranked Bulldog men and the Georgia women combined to tally six total NCAA provisional qualifying marks and two wins in the Rector Field House during the meet’s first day of action.
“At 6 a.m. this morning, I didn’t even think we would be making this trip because the weather was looking so bad up this way,” said head coach Wayne Norton. “School was cancelled at Virginia Tech, there’s snow covering the ground and pretty much the whole town is shut down other than the people involved with this meet. But we got up here and had even more (personal bests) which is just another sign our teams are getting better. We have talked to this team for a while about not making excuses because of the record cold and rain we have had to train in and the track construction. Sometimes you can say that and nothing happens but with this team, they have actually blocked all of that out and had some big success early in the year.”
Two weeks after setting an all-time collegiate best in the 300-meter dash, sophomore Torrin Lawrence sped to a win in his season debut in the 400 with an NCAA provisional qualifying time. Lawrence topped Florida freshman Tony McQuay in the first heat and won the overall 400 with a time of 46.66. This is Lawrence’s second-best indoor time in his Georgia career after he clocked a 46.18 in 2009.
Sophomore Nikola Lomnicka had her third straight personal-best effort in the weight throw to finish second with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 65 feet, 10 ¼ inches. After registering a mark of 65 feet on her fifth attempt, Lomnicka launched her top effort to finish behind only SEC leader Kristin Smith. Lomnicka improved her No. 3 spot in the school record books with her career-best heave.
Also of note, Lomnicka’s brother, Virginia Tech’s Marcel Lomnicky, fouled out in the men’s hammer. He is No. 4 on the NCAA performance list going into this weekend’s meet.
The Bulldog men all picked up fair throws in the weight and finished with career-best throws. Senior John Freeman was the runner-up in the event after his fourth throw traveled an NCAA provisional qualifying 68-1, which bettered his No. 7 spot on the school’s top-10 list.
Senior Branislav Danis also had a career-best toss after sending his opening throw 64-1.25 to take fourth. This was his first NCAA provisional qualifying mark of the year. Fellow senior David Schiedt continued to do what he has done all three meets of the 2010 indoor season – set a new personal best. Schiedt was seventh in the competition after his first throw traveled 61-0.75.
Georgia continued on its outstanding pace by picking up another pair of NCAA provisional qualifying marks in the women’s pole vault. Freshman Jade Riebold had her second consecutive meet with a career-best jump after clearing 13-2.25 to win the meet. This was her first collegiate win and improved her No. 4 spot in the record books.
But Riebold will not be alone at the No. 4 spot after graduate student Kat Majester equaled Riebold’s mark for a huge personal-best effort to take second. Majester, who had a top effort of 12-5.50 going into the meet, earned her first NCAA provisional qualifying mark as a Lady Bulldog.
Junior Georgina Nembhard ran the fastest 60 of her career in the event’s prelims after clocking a 7.45 to have the fastest qualifying time in the field, missing an NCAA provisional qualifying time by a hundredth of a second. This shot her from eighth to fifth in the UGA record books. In the finals, Nembhard finished third (7.47) as junior Odeika Bent took fifth with a 7.54.
A trio of Lady Bulldogs also had success in the women’s high jump. Freshman Saniel Atkinson went over the bar at a personal-best height of 5-8.50 to tie for runner-up honors with Georgia sophomore Carin Walker. Junior Shaquita Young also matched her career-best mark of 5-8.50 to take fifth in the event.
In the men’s 800, a pair of freshmen had top-10 finishes versus a field of 32. Danny Neff finished second with a time of 1:53.31 as Ryan Hershner clocked a 1:54.88 to take sixth.
Also, Aaron LaGarde managed a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a top jump of 23-11.75 and freshman Eric Harris took fifth in the 200 (21.78).
Georgia’s NCAA Provisional Qualifiers on Friday
Name Event/Place Mark
Nikola Lomnicka Weight/2nd 65 feet, 10 ¼ inches
Torrin Lawrence 400m/1st 46.66
John Freeman Weight/2nd 68-1
Branislav Danis Weight/4th 64-1.25
Jade Riebold Pole vault/1st 13-2.25
Kat Majester Pole vault/2nd 13-2.25
