Flynn, Sanders Advance to NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

UH’s last team title came in 1985.

Lauren Kenney highlighted the first day of action at the NCAA East First-Round by punching her ticket to the 2016 NCAA Championships in the women’s javelin throw Thursday afternoon at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida.

“This will be a course that requires accurate drives and accurate shots to the green”, Clemson coach Larry Penley said. USC’s Matt NeSmith and Will Starke have both previously played the layout.

Oklahoma (+18, t-20th), TCU (+21, t-23rd) and Baylor (+29, 28th) are also within striking distance of 15th (+15) after the first two rounds. Belcher did not advance to the quarterfinals of the 200, but freshman teammate Rodney Rowe will compete in Saturday’s 200 quarters scheduled for 7:50 p.m. Rowe’s personal record of 20.90 kept his NCAA national hopes alive in the 200.

All 30 teams will compete in the first three rounds that will end on Sunday.

SC advanced to the fourth round of team competition at the NCAA Championships with another solid round of golf.

USC’s lineup features seniors NeSmith (71.09), Sean Kelly (73.37) and Starke (73.47), sophomore Keenan Huskey (72.14) and freshman Scott Stevens (72.75). Shelton was recently named first-team All-SEC for the third time in his his three years as a member of the Crimson Tide, becoming just the fourth player in program history to receive the honor three times. Each individual had to finish in the top 12 of their event to advance.

The women’s 4×100 team of Danielle Barbian, Stevens, Hannah Cunliffe and Washington made it through as well, running 43.75 to win its heat and post the second-fastest time in the region. Before the race I was really nervous, but I knew if I got out, stayed relaxed, and sat on the guy in front of me, I would be okay. “I really just wanted to take one race at a time and do the best I could possibly could and it turned out very well”, said Warner, who concluded her career with eight All-America citations – two indoor and six outdoor.

“We closed the meet with our fastest 4×400-meter relay of the year, to be the 15th fastest team in the Eastern United States”. This is their fifth NCAA Championship appearance in the last eight years and finished as high as 2nd overall (in 2009, coming within a wedge chip-in from Texas A&M of likely winning the whole thing).