May 29, 2009
Results
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -
Illinois State's Samantha Springer took 10th in the women's discus throw for the Redbird women's track and field team at the 2009 NCAA Mideast Regional Track and Field Championships held in Louisville, Ky., and hosed by Louisville at the Cardinal Park Track and Field Complex Friday.
Springer's throw of 161-5 in the discus secured her a 10th-place finish and gave her a strong chance to gain an at-large bid to the NCAA National Championships (June 10-13). Her season-best and Missouri Valley Conference Championship winning throw of 172-4 gave her the 17th best-throw in the nation in the nation this year.
"Sam had a great throw on the season today and her season-best put her at 17th in the nation so she has a very good chance to make it to Nationals," said assistant coach Jeff Chakouian. "She struggled and wasn't as sharp mechanically as she has been, but being the competitor that she is she got one good throw in and that puts her in a great place to get an at-large bid to the Championships."
Springer a senior also competed in the hammer throw where she launched a distance of 178-11 to finish 17th.
"This is Sam's third time at the regional meet and being the seasoned veteran that she is she really stepped up in both events and competed well," said Chakouian. "In the hammer she came in ranked 29th in the region and left 17th throwing just under her PR (personal-record). She has really struggled in the hammer during the past few weeks so it was good to see her end her hammer career on a positive note."
Missouri Valley Conference 800-meter run champion, Michelle Brunk finished with a time of 2:17.14 to finish 24th in the 800. Brunk ran her first lap in record pace, but was not able to maintain and fell to last place in her heat.
Leigh Petranoff will get action underway for the Redbirds tomorrow at 10 a.m. CST, in the women's javelin from Cardinal Park in Louisville, Ky.
The top-five finishes in each region receive automatic bids to the NCAA Track and Field National Championships held in
Fayetteville, Ark., June 10-13. Anyone that finishes 6-12 in each region will be placed in an at large pool and will be accepted based on their season-best performances by the NCAA championships committee.
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