Wake Forest University
NCAA East Preliminaries
Deacs Kick Off NCAA East Prelims
5/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
Complete Results
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Six Wake Forest men's and women's track and field athletes competed on the opening day of the NCAA East Preliminaries on Thursday at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
The highlight of the day for the Deacs was Jessie Merckle's second-place finish in the women's javelin throw. Her toss of 52.66m put her in the top 12 by a margin of more than five meters, earning her a spot NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. in June. The appearance at the national meet will be the third for the three-time ACC champion.
In the men's 800m, both Robert Heppenstall and Simon Holden posted times that qualified them for Friday's national quarterfinal. Heppenstall came in fourth with a time of 1:47.39, while Holden placed 19th by crossing the finish line in 1:48.79.
Charlie Ionata, Kathryn Lazarchick and Alva Hicks also competed on Friday. Ionata took 17th in the men's hammer throw, Lazarchick was 36th in the women's 1,500m and Hicks placed 38th in the women's hammer throw.
Holden and Heppenstall will look to join Merckle in Eugene by recording top-12 finishes in Friday's NCAA 800m quarterfinal, which is scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m.
Four more Deacons are slated for Friday events. Max Adams is entered in the men's discus throw at 4 p.m. Sydney White and Kathleen Adair will take part in the women's pole vault and Alexandria Florent will participate in the high jump. Both of those events begin at 5 p.m.
Men's 800m
4. Robert Heppenstall, 1:47.39
19. Simon Holden, 1:48.79
Men's Hammer Throw
17. Charlie Ionata, 64.52m (211' 8")
Women's Javelin Throw
2. Jessie Merckle, 52.66m (172' 9")
Women's Hammer Throw
38. Alva Hicks, 53.86m (176' 8")
Women's 1,500m
36. Kathryn Lazarchick, 4:29.99
Players Mentioned
