Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
NCAA Championships
Players Mentioned
Four to Compete at NCAA Track & Field Championships
June 06, 2017 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
Start Lists l Event Preview l Full Schedule
How to Watch l Live Results
PRINCETON, N.J. (6/6/17) - Four Tigers will compete this week at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., at Historic Hayward Field.
One Tiger is a veteran at the NCAA Championships. Making her fourth appearance is 2014 NCAA hammer throw champion and 2015 runner-up Julia Ratcliffe. A three-time All-America in this event, Ratcliffe has the second-best throw in the nation heading into championship week with a 69.24 (227-2). She won the NCAA East Regional and has a PR of 70.75Ratcliffe's biggest competition will be Maggie Ewen (Arizona State). The Pac-12 champion has thrown the nation's best this year, a 72.81 (238-10). She was fifth in this event last year and won the West Regional with a 70.81 (232-4). There is one other returner from last year, Janee' Kassanavoid (Kansas State) who was ninth in 2016. She ranks fourth in the nation with a 66.97 (219-8), not far behind Brooke Andersen (Northern Arizona) who tossed a 67.43 (221-2). She may not be 100 percent after scratching out of the Big Sky championship but did take second at the West Regional while Kassanavoid was 11th. The hammer throw will be the first women's final on Thursday at 2 p.m. (PT). WATCH
Senior Allison Harris will compete in her second NCAA Championship, after taking ninth place indoors. She is the first Tiger to compete in the outdoor pole vault championship since Chelo Canino in 2004, when Canino placed sixth with a 4.10. Harris qualified after a 4.10 at the NCAA East Regional that tied her for 11th. Harris holds the Princeton and Ivy League records in the event with a 4.23 (13-10.5) from her win at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. Her personal best is in indoors height of 4.27 (14-0) which she gained this past year. Harris will face 10 other league pole vault champions in Eugene. Nine of the 24 finalists from last year return, including champion Alexis Weeks (Arkansas) who put up a 4.50 a year ago. She currently sits third with a 4.55, behind Emily Grove (South Dakota) 4.60 and Annie Rhodes (Baylor) 4.61. The pole vault will be conducted immediately after the hammer throw on Thursday at 5 p.m. (PT). WATCH
For the second consecutive year Princeton has a finalist in the men's pole vault as junior August Kiles makes his NCAA Championship debut. The Ivy League champion posted a season-best 5.31 (17-5) and was eighth at the NCAA East Regional with a 5.25 (17-2.75). Kiles' personal best is an indoor mark of 5.42 (17-9.25) posted this past February. Seven of the 24 finalists from last year return including third-place finisher Devin King (Southeastern Louisiana) who cleared 5.45. The leader is Chris Nilson (South Dakota), a freshman who has cleared 5.73 (18-9.5). Kiles is one of nine conference champions in the final. WATCH
Junior William Paulson makes his NCAA Championships debut in the 1500. He was seventh at the NCAA East Regional, ahead of Columbia's Rob Napolitano, the Ivy League champion. The pair make up four Ivy Leaguers in the final group of 24. Paulson has the best time out of all four and ranks ninth in the nation with a PR of 3:42.23 from the Larry Ellis Invitational. He was the runner-up at Ivy Heps with a 3:46.07. It's nearly an entire new crop of 1500 runners this season with only three returners from last year. Fellow Brit Josh Kerr (New Mexico) has the nation's best time at 3:35.99 and he was 10th a year ago. Craig Engles (Ole Miss), who finished third in 2016 ranks second with a 3:37.75. Paulson will be in the second heat of the 1500 at 4:46 p.m., PT on Wednesday, June 7. WATCH (ESPN2). The top 5 from each heat plus the next to fastest times advance to the final on Friday at 5:42 p.m.