MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama track and field will send a school-record 12 individuals to the NCAA East Preliminaries, according to entries released by the NCAA on Wednesday.
The Jaguars’ qualifiers include eight men and four women. Two of them won their events at the Sun Belt Conference Championships two weeks ago.
The Road to Eugene
North Florida will host the East Preliminaries in Jacksonville, Florida, from May 28-30. The meet brings together the top 48 athletes in each event in the region. Athletes who finish in the top 12 in their events will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, next month.
Frechou Leads Seeds
Renaldo Frechou is South Alabama’s highest-seeded entrant, ranked fourth in the men’s hammer throw. Jan-Louw Kotze is seeded 13th in the men’s discus. Both Frechou and Kotze set Sun Belt Conference records this season.
Kotze is headed to his third consecutive regional. Frechou and pole vaulter Nick Farrell also competed in the postseason last year.
South Alabama Qualifiers
Men
- Zach Blahnik, hammer throw
- Matthew Dillon, 110-meter hurdles
- Nick Farrell, pole vault
- Renaldo Frechou, hammer throw
- Christoph Graf, 5,000 meters
- Jan-Louw Kotze, discus
- Patrick Rohr, 3,000-meter steeplechase
- Mark Watts, 400 meters
Women
- Kaitlyn Beans, triple jump
- Phoebe Dowson, discus
- LaMia Miller, shot put
- Barbara Rivera, javelin
Anderson Will Not Compete
Spencer Anderson also posted a qualifying time in the 400-meter hurdles but will not compete. Anderson earned his degree earlier this month and has joined the military full time.
