Track & Field: Louisiana’s Bienvenu Punches Ticket to NCAA Outdoor Track Championships
Freshman finishes eighth overall with personal-best mark
Matt Sullivan | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two days. Two national qualifiers for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
Freshman Maria Bienvenu became the second Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns track athlete in as many days to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships when she finished eighth overall in the women’s javelin at the NCAA East Preliminary on Thursday at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium.
Bienvenu posted a personal-best throw of 167 feet, 10 inches on her first attempt to become the fourth Ragin’ Cajuns women’s field athlete in school history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The true freshman joined Ragin’ Cajuns men’s pole vaulter Cole Courtois, who qualified on Wednesday, in advancing to next month’s event, scheduled for June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore.
Claire Meyers finished 21st overall in the women’s javelin for Louisiana with a throw of 156-7 while Serenity Rogers set a personal-best in the women’s 100-meter hurdles (13.38). Kiana Foster competed in both the women’s 100-meters (11.62) and 200-meters (24.56) for Louisiana with Ta’La Spates posting a time of 11.85 seconds in the 100-meters.
Action continues on Friday with Rylan Theyard competing in the men’s high jump for Louisiana at noon CT. John Joseph will compete for the Ragin’ Cajuns in the third day of the four-day meet in the men’s triple jump at 2:15 p.m. CT before the men’s 4×100-meter relay team of Trejun Jones, Terroll Jolla, Jahmad Booth and Brock Appiah competes at 4:30 p.m. CT.
Yves Cherubin, who finished 12th in the preliminaries of the men’s 110-meter hurdles on Wednesday, will look to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships when he competes in the quarterfinals at 5:45 p.m. CT.
Live results and a live video stream of the four-day meet will be available at RaginCajuns.com.
The NCAA East Preliminary is one of two opening round competitions of the NCAA Track and Field Championships with the West Preliminary happening simultaneously in College Station, Texas.
The top 12 performers in each event and top six relay teams from each Preliminary meet will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore.
LOUISIANA AT NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY
May 28 (all times Central)
12 p.m. – Rylan Theyard (Men’s high jump)
2:15 p.m. – John Joseph (Men’s triple jump)
4:30 p.m. – Men’s 4×100-meter relay (Trejun Jones, Terroll Jolla, Jamhad Booth, Brock Appiah, Warrick Baker – alt, Obdarius Ware – alt)
5:45 p.m. – Yves Cherubin (Men’s 110-meter hurdles – Quarterfinals)
May 29
12 p.m. – Frankie Griffin (Women’s high jump)
12:30 p.m. – Brooklynne Wilson (Women’s discus)
4:30 p.m. – Women’s 4×100-meter relay (Kennedy London, Ta’La Spates, Serenity Rogers, Kiana Foster, Johneisha George – alt)
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