RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside Track and Field team will have several athletes representing the school in the NCAA Regionals at Sacramento State this week. The team is highlighted by underclassmen that are leading the Highlanders to new heights this season.
NCAA Regional Qualifiers
Quinn Williams – 400 meter hurdles
· The sophomore from Aliso Viejo, California qualified for the NCAA Regionals by running for a time of 51.34 in the 400 meter hurdles to win the Big West event.
John Ober III – Javelin
· Freshman John "JT" Ober III has been on a tear recently and that didn't stop for the Big West Championships as JT won the Javelin toss with a throw of 61.64m (202'2").
Ondrej Rapp – Long Jump
· Rapp set a season long with his Big West performance as he jumped 7.40m (40'7.75") which was good for third place.
Men's 4x4 – Williams, Jose Cruz, Heinrich Van Niekerk and Tanner Anderson
· This group has been setting the standard high all season and that didn't stop at the Big West Championships as they broke the UCR record with a time 3:08.96.
1st Team All-Big West
· Williams won the 400 meter hurdles in fashion which earned him first team all-conference honors.
· John Ober also earned first team all-conference with his outstanding showing in the javelin throw.
2nd Team All-Big West
· The men's 1600 relay team of Williams, senior Justin Parker, freshman Tanner Anderson and sophomore Jose Cruz broke a UCR record with a time of 3:08.96 finishing second in the event. This was good for second team all-conference.
· Heinrich Van Niekerk ran in multiple events but his best individual performance came in the 1500 meter run as he ran for a time of 3:52.54 which was good for second place.
3rd Team All-Big West
· Rapp set a season-high with his long jump as he jumped for a best of 7.40m (24'3.5"). This earned him a spot at regionals as well as third team all-conference.
· In the men's 800m run, Anderson also improved on his prelim time as he ran for a time of 1:52.50. That run allowed the freshman to come in third place.
· Sophomore Hana Johnson had a strong showing as she had a podium finish as she came in third place in the women's triple jump with a best jump of 12.39m (40'7.75").
· Junior Natalie Mitchell also had a third place finish in the women's shot put event with a best throw of 13.83m (45'4.5").
· The UCR Heptathlon record holder, Dilini Amarasekara, also placed third in the women's long jump with a jump of 5.93m (19'5.5").
Please join us tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at 2 p.m. in Lot 24 by the electric charging stations as we send our Track & Field student-athletes off to Sacramento to compete in the 2019 NCAA Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field West Preliminary Rounds.
Our team will depart at 2:15 p.m.
Competition begins on Thursday, May 23 and runs through Saturday, May 25 and live results can be viewed here:
Note: Flo Track has the rights to both the East and West Preliminaries. There will be a cost for fans to view the meet.
Hope to see you there event if just for a moment to wish our Highlander student-athletes and coaches the best and on to victory!
Go Highlanders!
