Pryke First Track And Field Tiger To NCAA Championships

Thursday, May 24

Tampa, Fla.

All Day

University of Memphis

NCAA East Preliminaries

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Pryke First Track And Field Tiger To NCAA Championships

May 24, 2018 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

NCAA East Preliminaries (Thursday Results)

Junior placed second in the women's javelin at NCAA East Preliminaries Thursday.

TAMPA, Fla. – Ashley Pryke became the first University of Memphis track and field performer to punch a ticket to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., in early June. The Tigers junior placed second in the women's javelin at the NCAA East Preliminaries Thursday, and the event's top-12 finishers all advance to the NCAA Championships.

USF is hosting the NCAA East Preliminaries at its on-campus track and field complex. Action at the NCAA meet continues Friday with the field events starting at 7:45 a.m. (CT) and the running events at 11 a.m. (CT). The running events were moved ahead an additional 30 minutes due to inclement weather forecasts for Friday.

Pryke's throw of 178-4 (54.36m) was her third-best of the 2018 outdoor season. She had a season-best 179-0 (54.55m) throw at the season-opening Rhodes Invitational in mid-March. Pryke won the women's javelin crown at the American Athletic Conference Championships with a 176-5 (53.77m) effort.

Tigers Tidbits/NCAA East Preliminaries Thursday Highlights

The NCAA Championships berth is Ashley Pryke's second-straight. She advanced to the 2017 national meet with an eighth-place performance at last year's NCAA East Preliminaries (163-2; 49.73m). At the NCAA Championships, Pryke placed third with a school-record throw of 186-9 (56.93m) and earned All-America first team honors.
Saida Burns-Moore jumped 5-8.75 (1.75m) and placed in a tie for 13^th, just missing the cutoff to advance to the NCAA Championships. Burns-Moore was part of a five-athlete jump-off for the final qualifying NCAA Championships berth. In the jump-off, LSU's Kaitlyn Walker was the lone athlete to clear the 5-10.75 (1.80m) height, making her the 12^th and final qualifer.
Three Tigers advanced to the quarterfinal round of their respective events Thursday. Jason Kimmet did so in the men's 400-meter hurdles, Davon DeMoss in the men's 100 meters and Martina Rodriguez Sala in the women's 1500 meters. Kimmet and DeMoss compete in the next round of their events Friday, while Rodriguez Sala next runs in the 1500 meters Saturday.
Jason Kimmet ran a personal-best 51.75 in the men's 400-meter hurdles. His previous-best was 51.85 at the American Athletic Conference Championships two weeks ago.
Davon DeMoss posted a personal-best 10.26 in the men's 100 meters. His previous-best was 10.29 in the first round of last year's NCAA East Preliminaries in Lexington, Ky.
Martina Rodriguez Sala's 4:20.51 in Thursday's 1500 meters was her third-fastest time this season. She ran a school-record 4:17.99 at the Raleigh Relays in late March and also posted a 4:20.03 at the Mt. SAC Relays in mid-April. Rodriguez Sala won the American Athletic Conference title in the event (4:22.65) two weeks ago.

Memphis Men's Results
100m (First Rd.) – 13. Davon DeMoss, 10.26 (advances to quarterfinals Friday)
400m (First Rd.) – 28. Jarred Pasley, 46.87; 33. Ryan Champlin, 47.19
400m Hurdles (First Rd.) – 22. Jason Kimmet, 51.75 (advances to quarterfinals Friday)

Memphis Women's Results
1500m (First Rd.) – 21. Martina Rodriguez Sala, 4:20.51 (advances to quarterfinals Saturday)
High Jump – 13. Saida Burns-Moore, 5-8.75 (1.75m)
Javelin – 2. Ashley Pryke, 178-4 (54.36m); 15. Mona Jaidi, 154-2 (46.99m); 33. Jasmine Wilson, 144-10 (44.15m)