Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Princeton Sends Eight to NCAA East Regional
May 18, 2017 | Women's Track and Field
Official East Region Web Site
East Regional Declared List
PRINCETON, N.J. (5/18/17) - Eight members of the Princeton women's track & field team will participate in the 2017 NCAA East Regional it was announced by the NCAA on Thursday, May 18. The East Regional will be held in Lexington, Ky., on the campus of the University of Kentucky on May 25-27.
NCAA champion Julia Ratcliffe looks to make her fourth championship appearance in the hammer throw. The national champion in 2014 and runner-up in 2015, Ratcliffe was 11th as a freshman. She has the best mark in the East with a 69.24 (227-2) that came from her fourth Ivy Heps title. Ratcliffe is the Princeton and Ivy League record holder in the event and has a personal best of 70.75 (232-1.50) while training for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The hammer will be the first event of Regionals, on Thursday, May 25 at 11:30 a.m. The top 12 advance to Eugene.
Senior Allison Harris returns for her second NCAA Regional. She holds the Princeton and Ivy League records in the pole vault and will tackle the event on 4:30 p.m., Thursday, May 25. Harris had her best vault, a 4.23 (13-10.50) at Heps to capture her second outdoor title. Harris competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the pole vault and finished 10th while earning second-team All-America honors. The top 12 advance to Eugene.
Sophomores Jackie Berardo and Anna Jurew quailed for the 800, for the first time in their careers. Berardo clocked a PR of 2:07.46 just last week at the Army West Point Twilight Meet just a week after hitting 2:08.13 at Heps. Jurew also had her best time at the Twilight Meet with a 2:07.65. She progressively shaved time of her PR all season after starting with the season with a 2:10.48. The first round will be held on Thursday, May 25 at 8:10 p.m., with the top three from each of six heats, plus the next six fastest times advancing to Friday's quarterfinal.
This will be the second consecutive season that senior Katie Hanss has qualified in the 1500. She'll be joined in the event by freshman Madeline Sumner. Hanss has the 18th best time in the East with a 4:19.68 from the Larry Ellis Invitational. Sumner ranks 35th with a 4:22.90 from the Twilight Meet. The first round will be on Thursday, May 25 at 5:30 p.m., with the top five from each of four heats advancing, plus the next four fastest times to Saturday's quarterfinal.
Senior Lizzie Bird has completed a perfect cycle as she qualifies for her fourth steeplechase. She reached the final in 2015 before getting an injury mid-race in Eugene to earn honorable mention All-America honors. Bird boasts the 11th fastest time in the East with a 10:09.04 from the Larry Ellis Invitational. Two weeks later she won the event at Heps. Bird owns a PR of 9:54.76 in the event. The quarterfinal of the steeple will be held at 8:20 p.m., on Friday, May 26. The top three from each of three heats, plus the next fastest three times will make up the 12 that will advance to the championship in Eugene.
A year after making the NCAA Regional in the steeplechase, senior Alexandra Markovich has qualified in the 5k. She ran a PR of 16:29.62 at the Twilight Meet last week. The semifinal race will be held at 8:05 p.m., on Saturday. The top five from each of two heats plus the next two fastest times will make up the 12 that will head to championship weekend in Eugene.