Wake Forest Athletics
Three Deacons Advance to Open NCAA East Regional
5/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
May 29, 2014
By Currie McFayden, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Kyle Graves, Thomas Bojanowski and Jessie Merckle advanced in their respective events on the opening day of the NCAA East Regional on Thursday at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.
Both Bojanowski and Graves advanced to the semifinals of the 800m run and the 1,500m run, respectively, for the second consecutive year. Merckle, after finishing in the top 12 of the javelin throw competition, advanced to the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Ore., for the first time in her young career.
Merckle is the first Demon Deacon to secure a trip to Eugene since former javelin thrower and school-record holder Ben Lincoln placed 18th in his signature event in 2012.
Four more Wake Forest athletes will be in action on Friday. Charlie Ionata will kick off the day in the hammer throw at 10 a.m., followed by Sydney White in the pole vault at Noon, Nyki Caldwell in the high jump at 5 p.m. and Bojanowski in the 800m run semifinals at 7 p.m.
Following is an event-by-event recap of Wake Forest's action from the opening day of the NCAA East Regional.
Men's 800m Run
Thomas Bojanowski put on a show, easily outpacing his previous personal-best time in the event to place 17th overall and fourth in his heat while crossing the line in 1:48.79. The top three finishers in each heat and the next six fastest times advanced to the semifinals on Friday.
Men's 1,500m Run
Both Kyle Graves and Simon Holden competed for the Demon Deacons in the mid-distance event. Much like the 800m run, the top five finishers in each heat plus the next four fastest times advanced to the semifinals, with Graves falling into the latter category. He placed 12th overall with a time of 3:46.56 and will compete for a spot at the National Championships on Saturday.
Only a freshman, Holden performed well in his first trip to the East Regional, placing 41st overall and crossing the line in 3:51.63.
Women's Javelin Throw
Already the school-record holder and a two-time ACC champion, Jessie Merckle continued to add to her accolades on Thursday as she placed sixth overall to advance to the NCAA National Championships. Her decisive throw came on her second attempt as the sophomore logged a mark of 167-8 (51.10m) to easily secure her spot in the top 12 and guarantee her trip to Eugene.
Players Mentioned
