May 15, 2010

ATLANTA ---- The Samford University track and field team solidified its field of five NCAA qualifiers Saturday as it rounded out competition at the Georgia Tech Invitational. Qualifiers must be ranked in the top 48 of the East or West Division to move on to the NCAA First Round in Greensboro, N.C., May 27-29.

Michael Seaman highlighted the action for the Bulldogs as he won the pole vault with a school-record mark of 17-00.25. The mark beat fellow Bulldog Patrick Wells' previous record set at the SoCon Championships two weeks ago by an inch and a half.

With that height, Seaman jumped from 29th place in the East division standing to 20th place. Wells currently ranks 26th in the East Division, and the duo will move on to the NCAA First Round at the end of May.

Also in the field events at the Georgia Tech Invitational, Ryan Cook tied for fourth place in the pole vault with a height of 15-01.00. Kyle Kirby just missed qualifying as he placed 17th in the hammer throw with a toss of 177-05.

Mary Barron tied for eighth in the pole vault with a mark of 11-01.75 while Donald Cooper tied for 11th in the high jump with a height of 6-06.75.

Thomas Oliver took ninth in the javelin with a toss of 196-04. He has already qualified for the NCAA First Round with a mark of 207-10 in the javelin to rank him 47th in the East Division standings. Ryland Robbins placed 24th in the event with a toss of 268-06.

Hillary Neal is the only female who qualified for Samford. She ranks 25th in the east in the steeplechase with her SoCon Championship-winning time of 10:42.61. She also has qualified in the 800 meters with her time of 2:09.30 posted at the Ole Miss Invitational. She ranks 48th in the standings in the event.

Also in the running events, Morgan Tyler placed 20th in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.60 while Ashley Bridenbaugh placed 32nd with a personal best of 1:05.83. Blaise Carie also took fourth in the steeplechase with a personal best time of 9:10.76.

Cameron Bean is the final qualifier for Samford. He qualified for the steeplechase with his school record time of 9:01.32 which he posted at the Pepsi Florida Relays. The mark currently ranks him 35th in the east.

Bean and Wells did not compete this weekend as they were back in Birmingham participating in graduation.