TCU
NCAA Midwest Regional
Gipson Automatically Qualifies For NCAA Championships
5/29/2009 12:00:00 AM
May 29, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. - Freshman Whitney Gipson punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships on Friday in the women's long jump to lead TCU on the first day of competition at the NCAA Midwest Regional."We had a mixed day today," said head coach Darryl Anderson. "I thought Whitney Gipson had a huge day today for our program. We are very excited for her that she could qualify for the NCAA Championships as a freshman."
Gipson soared to a fifth-place finish and automatically qualified for the 2009 NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Gipson, who leaped 20 feet, 7 inches on her final jump to qualify for nationals, posted a personal-best leap and the second-best jump in program history at John Jacobs Field. Gipson, who came into the regional with the 11th-best leap in the Midwest Region, finished Friday's action ahead of five of the nations top-30 jumpers.
In the relays, the Flyin' Frogs opened the day placing fourth overall in the prelims of the women's 4x100. TCU's unit of Kishelle Paul, Jessica Clarke, Kristal Juarez and Jessica Young clocked a seasonal-best time of 44.37 seconds to advance to the finals.
On the men's side, Justyn Warner, Otis McDaniel, Mychal Dungey and Andon Mitchell also advanced to the 4x100 final by claiming first-place honors in heat No. 1 with a time of 39.69 seconds. Overall, the quartet recorded the third-fastest time in preliminary action on Friday.
"I thought both of the relays did some good things today in advancing into the finals," said Anderson. "We are looking forward to seeing how it all shakes itself out tomorrow."
Young came back later in the day to cross the finish line with the fourth-fastest time in preliminary competition in the 100 meters. The South Carolina native clocked a personal and seasonal-best time of 11.23 seconds to qualify for Saturday's final. Her time currently sits No. 6 in the NCAA. In the 200 meters, Young blazed to a personal-best time of 23.16 seconds to win heat No. 3 and place third overall to advance to the finals. Young's preliminary time currently sits at No. 12 in the NCAA and is the seventh-fastest time in program history.
"Jessica Young did what she does today in running 11.23 in the 100 and 23.16 in the 200. She has an opportunity to do well in both of those events tomorrow," said Anderson.
McDaniel led the Flyin' Frogs in the prelims of the men's 100 meters, crossing the finish line in 10.36 seconds to finish eighth overall and qualify for the finals. Mitchell just missed advancing on Friday, recording a time of 10.39 seconds to finish 10th overall. In the 200 meters, freshman Mark Barnes just missed qualifying for the finals, posting a personal-best time of 20.84 seconds to finish in ninth-place, while Dungey finished 13th overall in preliminary action on Friday night.
"I would have liked to accomplish more in the 100 meters on the men's side, but Otis McDaniel made it through to the finals and can hopefully do well tomorrow. I didn't think any of the five guys ran bad, it was just a very competitive environment," said Anderson.
In the women's 400 meters, Clarke and Juarez qualified for Saturday's final by recording times of 53.96 and 53.79 seconds, respectively. Clarke advanced to the finals by winning heat No. 2, while Juarez finished sixth overall in preliminary action.
On the men's side, sophomore Matthew Love advanced to Saturday's final by recording a personal and seasonal-best time of 46.19 seconds to place seventh overall.
"I thought Matt Love had a breakthrough in the 400 meters today on the men's side. He ran a personal-best and it puts him in a good situation going into the final. I thought on the women's side that both Jessica and Kristal did some good things in advancing," said Anderson.
Paul, a native of Georgia, recorded a seasonal-best time of 58.38 seconds to win heat No. 3. The defending Midwest Regional Champion posted the second-fastest preliminary time on Friday to advance to the finals.
"Kishelle Paul has a chance to defend her title tomorrow and I thought she had a good day for us today," said Anderson.
"We have a lot of things going on tomorrow. We just have to come in tomorrow and get ourselves prepared both mentally and physically to go to battle," said Anderson.
TCU will resume action at the NCAA Midwest Regional tomorrow in Norman. Start time is set for 11 a.m. with the men's hammer throw.
