Duke Invitational Provides Final Tune-up and Qualifying Opportunity for National Championship Meet

The Duke Invitational on Friday and Saturday provides the Sandhills Community College men's and women's track and field teams with one last opportunity to qualify athletes for the NJCAA Division III Championships on May 9-11in Utica, N.Y.

The Flyer men and women were both ranked No. 7 in NJCAA Division III by the National Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll released this week.

Through last weekend's Aggie Invitational at North Carolina A & T, five Flyer men and five women have met the NJCAA standards in one or more events. Another half a dozen are within striking distance of qualifying.

"Everyone can still run faster and we haven't taken the brakes off yet," Coach Jef Moody said on Tuesday. "About 10 days before we leave for New York we'll cut back so we can all peak at the same time. This is a fun time of the year and we're all excited."

A number of the Flyer men and women have qualified in more than one event. Following is the list of qualifiers with their NJCAA rankings in each event shown in parenthesis:

Men – Daniel Taylor – 10,000m (1), 5,000m (1), 1,500m (4); Andrew Bowen – 10,000m (4), 5,000m (7); Jalen Easley – 400m (6); Daniel Hagen – 3,000m Steeplechase (2); Alex Worley – Decathlon (1);

Women – Brianna Spencer – 400m (11), 800m (4); Claudette Smith – 100h (10), 400h (7); Sara Lindell - 3,000m Steeplechase (2), Enya Dewars - 3,000m Steeplechase (3), Emily Doorey – Discus (6). In addition, Doorey is expected to compete in New York in the Heptathlon after finishing third there last year. 

Among the Flyers close to the qualifying standards are: Jonathyn Knight (long jump and triple jump), John Grimm (800m), Hagen (5,000m), Dewars and Hannah Canady (5,000m), Doorey (shot put) and Ua Meagan (Javelin).