Criticos, Pryke Earn Spots At NCAA Championships

Thursday, May 25

Lexington, Ky.

University of Memphis

NCAA East Preliminaries

Ashley Pryke, 2015-16 Women's Track and Field

Photo by: Nikki Boertman

May 25, 2017 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

NCAA East Preliminaries/Thursday Results NCAA East Preliminaries/Friday Heat Sheets

Chavez, Moss advance to 100 meters quarterfinals Friday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Memphis' Michael Criticos and Ashley Pryke made it two tickets punched for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in first-day action at the NCAA East Preliminaries Thursday. Criticos and Pryke earned spots in the men's and women's javelin, respectively, for the national meet in Eugene, Ore., June 7-10.

Criticos placed fifth with a 222-11 (67.96m) throw in the men's javelin, and Pryke was eighth in the women's javelin with a 163-2 (49.73m) mark. The top-12 finishers in each event move on to the NCAA Championships.

It is Criticos' second trip to the NCAA Championships, as he advanced to the national meet in 2015. For Pryke, it is her first NCAA Championships appearance.

NCAA East Preliminaries/Day One Highlights

Although it was not a title event, Thursday's women's javelin was the first time in 2017 that Ashley Pryke did not place first. Entering the NCAA East Preliminaries, Pryke had won all eight javelin competitions this season, including the American Athletic Conference crown May 13.
Ashley Pryke secured her spot for the NCAA Championships on the first of her three javelin attempts Thursday and did not take her final two tries.
Michael Criticos' 222-11 (67.96m) throw was his third-best of the season. He was the American Athletic Conference runner-up (silver) in the men's javelin.
Dorina Baiker was just short of making it three tickets to the NCAA Championships on the first day of action at the NCAA East Preliminaries. Baiker's 13-5.25 (4.10m) vault was tied for ninth, but she hit the mark on her third attempt while seven others did so on earlier attempts at that height, sliding her down to 16^th place. Her 13-5.25 (4.10m) mark also was shy of tying her personal-best of 13-5.75 (4.11m), which she set at the Memphis Invitational Apr. 29.
Cera Chavez and Davon DeMoss both advanced to quarterfinal round of their respective 100 meters events Thursday. Chavez placed 22^nd (11.56) and DeMoss 12^th (10.29). The 100 meters quarterfinals are Friday at 5 p.m. (women) and 5:15 p.m. (men) CT.

On Tap For Friday

In addition to their 100 meters runs, Cera Chavez and Davon DeMoss are competing in the women's and men's 200 meters first rounds, respectively. The women's 200 meters is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) and the men to follow at 6:55 p.m. (CT).
Joining Davon DeMoss in the men's 200 meters is Kolbeinn Gunnarsson.
The men's shot put starts at 3:30 p.m. (CT), and three Tigers qualified for the event. The three competing are Adam Neelly, Yannik Schaly and Rafael Vallery.

2017 NCAA East Preliminaries

Memphis Men's Results
100m (1^st round) – 12. Davon DeMoss, 10.29 (advances to Friday's quarterfinal round)
Javelin (F) – 5. Michael Criticos, 222-11 (67.96m) (advances to NCAA Championships)

Memphis Women's Results
100m (1^st round) – 22. Cera Chavez, 11.56 (advances to Friday's quarterfinal round)
400m (1^st round) – 41. Dominique Chatman, 54.96
Javelin (F) – 8. Ashley Pryke, 163-2 (49.73m) (advances to NCAA Championships)
Pole vault (F) – 16. Dorina Baiker, 13-5.25 (4.10m); 36. Jada Parker, 12-5.5 (3.80m)