Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
14 Qualify for Men's Track & Field NCAA East Regional; Soerens Makes Final
May 22, 2015 | Men's Track and Field
Official East Region Web Site
East Regional Declared List
Accepted Decathletes
PRINCETON, N.J. (5/21/15) - Fourteeen members of the Princeton men's track & field team will participate in the 2015 NCAA East Regional it was announced by the NCAA on Thursday, May 21. The East Regional will be held in Jacksonville, Fla., on the campus of the University of North Florida on May 28-30.
In addition, senior Stephen Soerens has punched his ticket to the championship weekend, as one of 24 that will compete in the decathlon in Eugene, Oregon.
Two Tigers will do double duty this weekend. Sophomore Christopher Cook and freshman Mitchel Charles have qualified in both the shot put and discus. Joining them in the shot put in senior Scott Rushton. The shot put will be held on Saturday at 5 p.m., while the discus is on Friday at 4 p.m. The top 12 marks in each event will advance to championship weekend. Cook has an 18.48 in the shot put and a 53.13 in the discus. Charles has thrown the shot to 17.66 and the discus to 52.86, while Rushton has thrown the shot to 17.59 to qualify. Cook and Rushton qualify for the second straight season in the shot put.
Junior Nana Owusu-Nyantekyi will take on the triple jump for the second consecutive season and will be joined by freshman Lane Russell. Owusu-Nytankekyi has qualified every year he has been a Tiger and Russell hopes to match his success. Owusu-Nyantekyi has jumped 15.65 this season while Lane reached a PR of 15.42 last weekend at IC4As. The triple jump will be the final field event of the regionals, held at 7 p.m., on Saturday.
Junior Jake Scinto will represent Princeton in the long jump on Thursday at 7 p.m. This is the first time Scinto has qualified for the regionals and does so with a 7.39.
For the second consecutive season, junior Adam Bragg will compete in the pole vault. The Princeton record holder in the event, Bragg boasts the fourth-best mark in the East at 5.65. He reached the finals in Eugene last year, taking 12th overall.
The top 12 in each of the field events will move on the finals in Eugene.
Sophomore Greg Caldwell makes his regional debut in the 110-meter hurdles. Caldwell has a season best time of 14.23, clocked last weekend at the IC4A meet. The first round of the 110 hurdles will be held on Friday at 5:30 p.m. The top three from each of six heats, plus the next six fastest times advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Freshman Josh Ingalls will take on the 800 after qualifying with a time of 1:49.36. The first round of the 800 will be on 8:35 p.m., on Thursday. The top three from each of six heats, plus the next six fastest times advance to the quarterfinals on Friday.
Senior Bradley Paternostro qualified in the 1500, two years after qualifying in the 800 meters. Paternostro owns the 11th best time on the East at 3:42.88. He will be the first Tiger to compete in Florida, as the first round of the 1500 is on Thursday at 6 p.m. The top five from each of the four heats plus the next four fastest times will then move on to Saturday's quarterfinal.
Making the steeplechase is senior Connor Martin. He has run an 8:57.43 to qualify for the event. His race is the final event on Friday at 9:30 p.m. The top three from each of three heats plus the next three fastest times will advance to championship weekend in Eugene.
Seniors Sam Pons and Matt McDonald will run in the 10k. Pons has posted a 29:35.78, while McDonald has a 29:38.76 in the event this season. The race will be the final event on Thursday at 9:40 p.m. Those with the 12 fastest times will advance to the championship in Eugene. This is the first time McDonald has qualified for the regional, while Pons qualified in the 5k in 2013.
Taking on the 5k in his regional debut is senior Mike Mazzzaccaro. He ran 14:05.98 to qualify for the semifinal on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. The top five from each of two heats plus the next two fastest times will advance to the championship in June.