A Record Number Qualify for NCAA East Regional

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A total of 21 members, 17 individual and one relay, of the Princeton men's track & field team will participate in the 2018 NCAA East Regional it was announced by the NCAA on Thursday, May 17. The East Regional will be held in Tampa, Fla. on the campus of the University of South Florida on May 24-27.

"This is the largest group by far that we have ever qualified for an NCAA Regional," head coach Fred Samara said. "This year has been a historic year because the quality of standards just keep going up across the country."

Samara is pleased that for the first time in program history, Princeton has qualified the 4x100 relay.

"Our time is one of the fastest qualifying times ever. Usually you can get in with a time between the 40.20-40.40 range. And we ran a 39.90. It's remarkable that we're going to go up some of the best sprint teams in the country like LSU, Florida, Alabana, Georgia – they are sprint powerhouses."

The relay which consists of two dual-sport athletes in Charlie Volker and Austin Carbone – who both play football for Princeton as well, take on the first and third legs. Sophomore Joey Daniels is on leg 2 and senior Carrington Akosa is the anchor.

So what makes this 4x100 so special?

Last year the Japanese national team spent a week prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics training at Princeton's Weaver Stadium. Their passing style inspired the coaching staff as the Japanese went on to take the silver medal in the 4x100 relay.

"We decided to use the Japanese pass, which is underhand, as opposed to the traditional Jamaican style pass. instead of the Jamaican pass. It took us about a year to get it down and now we are amongst the best passing relays in the country."

In just the second time putting the relay into competition at Texas, Princeton put up the program's fastest time, a 40.05. Two months at IC4As later the Tigers crushed the time with a 39.90. It is the fourth best time ever recorded in the Ivy League history. Like Coach Samara said the team will face some sobering competition, with all 24 relays being separated by just 1.14 second.

The relay is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 26 at 6 p.m.

A total of 21 members of the Princeton men's track & field team will participate in the 2018 NCAA East Regional it was announced by the NCAA on Thursday, May 17. The East Regional will be held in Tampa, Fla. on the campus of the University of South Florida on May 24-27.

"This is the largest group by far that we have ever qualified for an NCAA Regional," head coach Fred Samara said. "This year has been a historic year because the quality of standards just keep going up across the country."

Samara is pleased that for the first time in program history, Princeton has qualified the 4x100 relay.

"Our time is one of the fastest qualifying times ever. Usually you can get in with a time between the 40.20-40.40 range. And we ran a 39.90. It's remarkable that we're going to go up some of the best sprint teams in the country like LSU, Florida, Alabana, Georgia – they are sprint powerhouses."

The relay which consists of two dual-sport athletes in Charlie Volker and Austin Carbone – who both play football for Princeton as well, take on the first and third legs. Sophomore Joey Daniels is on leg 2 and senior Carrington Akosa is the anchor.

So what makes this 4x100 so special?

Last year the Japanese national team spent a week prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics training at Princeton's Weaver Stadium. Their passing style inspired the coaching staff as the Japanese went on to take the silver medal in the 4x100 relay.

"We decided to use the Japanese pass, which is underhand, as opposed to the traditional Jamaican style pass. instead of the Jamaican pass. It took us about a year to get it down and now we are amongst the best passing relays in the country."

In just the second time putting the relay into competition at Texas, Princeton put up the program's fastest time, a 40.05. Two months at IC4As later the Tigers crushed the time with a 39.90. It is the fourth best time ever recorded in the Ivy League history. Like Coach Samara said the team will face some sobering competition, with all 24 relays being separated by just 1.14 second.

The relay is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 26 at 6 p.m.

Princeton has two in the 800 with senior Josh Ingalls and Noah Kauppila. Ingalls was named the Ivy League Heps Most Outstanding Track Performer two weeks ago when he won the 800 with the second-fastest time in league history and the second-best time at Princeton behind Omar Simmons '92 who ran 1:47.41 in the 1992 Olympic Qualifiers. Ingalls will be competing in his first Regional 800 since 2015. Kauppila ran the 800 just once this season and qualified with a 1:49.38. This is the third year he was qualified for the Regional, making both the 1500 and 5k as a sophomore and the 1500 again last year. The first round of the 800 will be held on Thursday at 8:10 p.m. with six heats. The top three from each heat plus the next best six times will move on to the quarterfinal on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

In the 1500, seniors Garrett O'Toole and William Paulson each qualified with converted mile times. O'Toole's converted mile time puts him with the 12th fastest time in the East at 3:43.37. Paulson was the runner-up in this event at Ivy Heps. Winning the event was Paulson with a and he has a converted best time of 3:43.87. Both have experience at the Regional with each qualifying for the third time of their careers. The event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., on Thursday, with four heats of 12. The top five from each heat plus the next four best times will advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Freshman Ed Trippas makes his Regional debut in the steeplechase. He posted a season-best time of 9:00.54 from the Penn Relays. The steeplechase quarterfinal is slated for 8:20 p.m., on Friday. The top 12 will be selected for the NCAA Championship in Oregon.

Three Tigers will be in the 5k, with sophomore Conor Lundy, junior Jeremy Spiezio and freshman Matt Grossman. Lundy has the best time of the three at 14:07.99 from the Raleigh Relays, while Spiezio has a 14:11.87 from last week's IC4A and Grossman a 14:13.44 from Penn Relays. The semifinal of the 5k will be on Saturday at 8:05 p.m., with two heats. The top 24, top five from each heat plus the next two best times, advance to Oregon.

Senior Rob Stone and sophomore Gannon Willcutts tackle the 10k on Thursday at 9 p.m. The top 12 from that single heat of 48 competitors will advance to the championship in Oregon. Stone posted a 29:36.24 and Willcutts a 29:46.29, both from the Sam Howell Invitational.

Sophomore Joey Daniels makes his second consecutive appearance in the Regionals in the 110-meter hurdles. He clocked a PR of 13.80 at Penn Relays, a Princeton record and the only Tiger to ever run under 14 seconds. It is the third fastest time in Ivy League history. The first round of the 110 hurdles will be the opening event on Friday at 4:30 p.m., The top three from each of six heats plus the next best six times advance to the quarterfinal on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

For the third straight season senior August Kiles has qualified in the pole vault. He has a season best mark of 5.28 (17-3.75) from last weekend's IC4A and has a PR of 5.42 (17-9.25). Kiles reached the NCAA Championship last year. The Regional pole vault will be at 1 p.m., on Thursday with the top 12 advancing to Oregon.

Both triple jumps Lane Russell and Stefan Amokwandoh have qualified, for the second time each. Each had season-best marks from the Ivy Heps when Russell won with a 15.55 (51-0.25) and Amokwandoh took second at 15.54 (51). The top-12 best marks after Saturday's 7:30 p.m., competition advance to Oregon.

Three throwers are also in the mix led by junior Adam Kelly. Kelly has qualified every single season in the hammer throw and was an All-America in the event as a freshman, while being the first one out last year. Kelly has the seventh best throw in the East with a PR of 71.92 (235-11) from Sam Howell. In his two meets this season he also recorded throws of more than 70 meters. The hammer is set for the first event of the meet at 11:30 a.m., on Thursday. Top 12 advance to the championship.

Senior Mitchel Charles and freshman Robbie Otal will take on the discus at noon on Friday. Charles threw a PR of 55.19 (181-1) at the Army West Point Twilight Meet. The Ivy Leaage Heps Most Outstanding Field Performer, Charles won both the discus and the shot put at Ivy Heps. He has qualified six times for the Regional, three times in the shot put and now three times in the discus. Joining him for his debut is Otal with a 52.78 (173-2) from the Texas Invitational. Otal was the Ivy League Heps runner-up in the discus. The top 12 will move on the championship in Oregon.

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Players Mentioned

Carrington Akosa

Stefan Amokwandoh

Austin Carbone

Mitchel Charles

Joey Daniels

Matt Grossman

Josh Ingalls

Noah Kauppila

Adam Kelly

August Kiles

Conor Lundy

Garrett O'Toole

Robbie Otal

William Paulson

Lane Russell

Jeremy Spiezio

Rob Stone

Ed Trippas

Charlie Volker

Gannon Willcutts

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