Terriers Set for NCAA East Prelims
May 28, 2014 | Women's Track & Field
May 28, 2014
Schedule of Events | Start Lists | Live Results | Championship Central
Five members of the Boston University women's track & field team will compete at the 2014 NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Preliminary Championships, held May 29-31 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
Gemma Acheampong, Monica Adler, Allison Barwise, Nikko Brady and Rosa Moriello will all represent BU at the competition. They will join Reuben Horace, Alec Olson and Rich Peters from the men’s squad at the meet.
"I’m extremely excited," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Robyne Johnson said. "It’s always a good sign to have eight kids move on to the preliminary round and have the opportunity to represent the university at NCAAs. We’re having a great year and we’re proud of our kids. Everyone has put in a lot of work to get to this point."
The top 12 athletes from each event at the end of the weekend will advance to the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on June 11-14. Last year, three Terriers advanced to Eugene out of the prelims.
"We’re looking forward to big things out of all our kids," Johnson said. "We have some really good shots at this. There’s going to be great competition down here as always and we’re going to have to put our best foot forward. You have to get it done and make sure you’re competitive to get those treasured 12 spots to get to the NCAAs. This is the one meet that I’ll tell these kids ‘It’s okay to be 12th,’ because that gets you into the final meet."
It will be a varied group at the prelims, as eight competitors will compete in nine events, including sprints, hurdles, throws, jumps, mid-distance and distance.
"It speaks well to my philosophy about track & field, which is that if you have a track & field meet, which is 21 events, you should cover all of them," Johnson said. "That’s been what I like to do with my team. It makes for a well-rounded team and it’s important if you want to have a true track team, and that’s what I think we have."
Adler will be the first Terrier on the track Thursday, as she competes in the second event of the day, the 1,500m run. The Manchester, Massachusetts, native has only raced once this season, winning the 1,500m run at the Patriot League Championships with a personal-best time of 4:24.79. A USTFCCCA First-Team All-America selection in the mile during the indoor season, Adler has been hampered by injury this spring but should be ready for Thursday’s heat.
"We’re so happy Monica's here, because she had an injury that prevented her from getting in a couple of those final meets that would have put her higher on the list," Johnson said.”We know she can get there if she’s healthy. It’s comforting to know that she’s already been there and she’s experienced so she’s feeling good about it."
Also competing on Thursday will be Acheampong, who will run the 100m dash. She broke the school record in that event at the Patriot League Championships with a time of 11.61 seconds. The junior sprinter has enjoyed a breakout year in 2014 and will be making her debut at the East prelims.
"Gemma came in as a walk-on and has done a fabulous job for us," Johnson said. "It’s been fun to watch her get better and better as the years go by. This is her first trip here and she’s going out to do the best she can against a tough field. She may even break her school record."
Brady is slated to compete in two events this weekend, including the long jump, which begins Thursday. She turned in the second-best mark in program history at the Penn Relays in April thanks to a jump of 6.21 meters. The graduate student will also take part in the 100m hurdles, which will open Friday’s schedule. Her top time this season in that event is 13.68 seconds.
"I’m happy that Nikko can end her career on a high note, going out with qualifying for two events," Johnson said. "She has done an excellent job this year. She’s worked hard to get to this point and is a very talented young lady."
Like Brady, Barwise is also concluding her collegiate career this spring and is one of the favorites in the high jump. The Orange, Connecticut, native set a new school record with a mark of 1.89 meters at the Patriot League Championships. That jump ranks third in the country, with both women ahead of her competing in Jacksonville as well.
"Allison’s meant a tremendous amount to the team," Johnson said. "I feel very confident in the kind of season that she’s had and how steady and consistent she’s been that I know she’ll do a great job. The sky is the limit for her."
Moriello qualified thanks to a personal-best time of 16:18.08 in the 5,000m run at the ECAC Championships. She was the Patriot League champion in the 5,000m run and has since improved on that time by nearly 30 seconds. This is her second appearance at the NCAA East prelims; Moriello posted a time of 16:38.59 in the same event at the 2012 meet.
"Rosa had a slow season this year, just in terms of starting late during the outdoor season," Johnson said. "She ran great in cross country as well as indoors, so she’s right on track for a great performance here. We’re looking forward to her doing some big things."
