Panthers Head To Lawrence For NCAA West Prelims

Thursday, May 26

Lawrence, KS

All Day

University of Northern Iowa

NCAA West Preliminary Round

Panthers Head To Lawrence For NCAA West Prelims

5/24/2016 2:44:00 PM | Track and Field

Meet Schedule | Men's Heat Sheets | Women's Heat Sheets

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa track and field program will head to the Sunflower State May 26-28 to compete at the 2016 NCAA Division I Track and Field West Preliminary Round in Lawrence, Kan.

UNI will take 15 student-athletes to compete in 16 different events while in Lawrence. The top-48 in each individual event earns berths into the NCAA West meet with the top-12 times/marks from both the East and West prelims qualifying for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 8-11.

The 15 student-athletes that will represent the Panthers this week is the most UNI has qualified since 2012 and will feature three All-Americans in Justin Baker, Brandon Carnes and Paige Knodle. Knodle, who already has punched her ticket to Eugene in the heptathlon, will also look to qualify in the 100 and 400 meter hurdles along with the javelin after setting UNI records in all three this season.

The senior from Byron, Ill. headlines a group of six women that will compete this week at the NCAA West Preliminary Round, including senior Jamie Lindstrom and junior Brette Correy who will make their third and second appearances at the meet while Maddie Beeler, Amber Clock and Sarah Pate will all get their first looks at the West prelims.

For the men, Baker enters the meet ranked in the top-10 in the West in both the shot put and the hammer throw after qualifying for the NCAA Championships last season in the shot put to earn All-America honorable mention. Carnes, who has qualified for the West prelims in both the 100 and 200 meters every year that he has donned the Purple and Old Gold, will look to once again secure his spot in Eugene after earning All-America in the 200 in 2015.

Joining the two All-Americans will be Shawn Koch and Jon Rus, who will make their second consecutive trips to the NCAA West Prelims. A slew of newcomers to the meet will also represent UNI this weekend in Luke Johnston, Daurice Fountain, Cole Phillips, Isaac Holtz and Jake Humpal.

The meet will begin on Thursday, May 26 and run through Saturday, May 28. Fans can watch a free live video stream at www.KUAthletics.com starting on Thursday, May 26 at 4:25 p.m. It will resume on Friday, May 27 at 4:55 p.m. and then on Saturday, May 28 at 5:55 p.m. The NCAA West Prelims will also be on ESPN3 during select times throughout the meet.

Fans can follow along this week on Twitter (@UNITrackFieldXC) or with live results. For more information on the meet, go to the NCAA West Preliminary Round Central Page or check www.UNIPanthers.com for a full set of results and a recap at the end of each day's competition.

UNI NCAA West Competitors

Maddie Beeler, SR, Peru, Iowa (West Rankings: 400M, 46^th)
Competition Times: 400 Meters (1^st Round) – May 26, 7:20 p.m.
Earned All-MVC in the 400 meter dash at the MVC Indoor and Outdoor Championships after placing third overall in both races … was a part of the All-Conference earning 4X400 meter relay team at the MVC Outdoor Championships for the fourth straight season … ran a personal-best and NCAA West qualifying time of 54.51 at the Musco Twilight (4/23), ranking herself No. 4 all-time at UNI … won the 400 meters at the Husker Spring Invitational (4/9).

Amber Clock, SR, Johnston, Iowa (West Rankings: 800M, 26^th)
Competition Times: 800 Meters (1^st Round) – May 26, 8:10 p.m.
Won the MVC title in the outdoor 800 meters at the MVC Outdoor Championships after finishing second in the race during the indoor championships … is ranked No. 2 all-time at UNI in the indoor 800 and No. 3 in the outdoor after running PRs in both seasons this year … ran a career-best time of 2:06.94 at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6) to rank her No. 3 all-time at UNI and qualify for the NCAA West meet … won the 800 meters at the Wisconsin Twilight.

Brette Correy, JR, Epworth, Iowa (West Rankings: 800M, 24^th)
Competition Times: 800 Meters (1^st Round) – May 26, 8:10 p.m.
Won the MVC title in the indoor 800 meters and scored team points in the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships this season … ran the second-fastest time in school history in the outdoor 800 meters at the Musco Twilight, coming in a 2:06.85 for the win and to qualify for the her second consecutive NCAA West meet … also won the 800 meters at the Husker Spring Invite (4/9) and the SIU Bill Cornell Spring Classic (3/26).

Paige Knodle, SR, Byron, Ill. (West Rankings: 100H, 14^th | 400H, 19^th | Javelin, 33^rd)
Competition Times: Javelin – May 26, 12 p.m. | 400 Hurdles (1^st Round) – May 26, 4:30 p.m. | 100 Hurdles (1^st Round) – May 27, 5 p.m.
Set school records in the 100 meter and 400 meter hurdles this season along with a new javelin record … won MVC titles in the 100 and 400 meter hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships after claiming the indoor title in the 60 hurdles … also punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. after her nationally ranked performance in the heptathlon at the Texas Relays … ran a school record time of 13.16 in the 100 meter hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13) for the win … set a UNI record in the 400 meter hurdles at the outdoor championships with a time of 58.24 to secure her second title of the weekend … earned All-MVC in the javelin at the MVC Outdoor Championships after breaking her own school record in the event with a toss of 155-09 for second place overall.

Jamie Lindstrom, SR, Hudson, Wis. (West Rankings: Shot Put, 37^th | Hammer, 48^th)
Competition Times: Hammer Throw – May 26, 4 p.m. | Shot Put – May 28, 3:30 p.m.
Scored team points in the hammer throw and shot put at the MVC Outdoor Championships and earned All-MVC in the weight throw at the indoor championships … qualified for the NCAA West meet for the third straight season … threw a personal-best and the third-best mark in school history in the shot put at the Wisconsin Twilight of 50-9.25 … had three top-five finishes in the shot put and three in the hammer throw this season … is also ranked No. 2 all-time at UNI in the indoor shot put with a mark of 52-10.75 and set a UNI record in the weight throw in 2016.

Sarah Pate, SO, Osceola, Iowa (West Rankings: Discus, 47^th | Hammer, 26^th)
Competition Times: Hammer Throw – May 26, 4 p.m. | Discus Throw – May 27, 12 p.m.
Had a standout sophomore campaign where she ranked herself No. 2 all-time at UNI in the hammer throw and No. 3 in the discus … earned All-MVC in the hammer throw at the MVC Outdoor Championships after finishing in second overall … her mark of 195-08 at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13) ranks her No. 2 all-time as a Panther … threw a personal-best and the third-best mark in school history at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6), going for 163-06 … won the hammer throw at the Musco Twilight (4/23).

Justin Baker, SR, Sioux City, Iowa (West Rankings: Shot Put, 7^th | Hammer, 9^th)
Competition Times: Hammer Throw – May 26, 12 p.m. | Shot Put – May 28, 6 p.m.
Broke five school records during his senior campaign that will look to extend to Eugene for the second consecutive season … set a new school record in the hammer throw three times this year and twice in the shot put … scored major team points at the MVC Outdoor Championships, earning second place and All-MVC in the hammer and shot put, also earning seventh in the discus … won the shot put with a school record toss of 63-6.25 at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6) … picked up a win at the Drake Relays (4/27) in the hammer throw, breaking the UNI record for the third time this season with a mark of 212-8.00 … also won the hammer throw at the Musco Twilight (4/23), Tom Botts Invitational (4/15) and the Bill Cornell Spring Classic (3/26), setting records at the Musco Twilight and Tom Botts Invitational.

Brandon Carnes, JR, Bradenton, Fla. (West Rankings: 100M, 17^th | 200M, 5^th)
Competition Times: 100 Meters (Quarterfinal) – May 27, 6:45 p.m. | 200 Meters (Quarterfinal) – May 27, 8:25 p.m.
Defended his titles in the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the MVC Outdoor Championships and earned All-MVC honors as the anchor for the 4X100 relay … has 12 individual MVC titles in three seasons … will look to continue his season to Eugene after also qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships this season … qualified for the NCAA West Prelims for the third season in a row … is a two-time All-American … earned MVC Most Outstanding Male Track Athlete for the second time in his career … ran a wind-aided 10.06 at the MVC Outdoor Championships that would have ranked him in the top-three in the NCAA … won the 100 meter dash at the Drake Relays (4/27) … picked up a win in the 200 meters at the Husker Spring Invite (4/9).

Daurice Fountain, SO, Madison, Wis. (West Rankings: 110H, 48^th)
Competition Times: 110 Hurdles (1^st Round) – May 27, 5:30 p.m.
Qualified for his first NCAA West meet in the 110 meter hurdles … scored team points in the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships and earned All-MVC after finishing in third in the 60 meter hurdles at the indoor conference meet … ran a wind-legal personal-best of 14.40 at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6) to finish third overall … is a two-sport athlete, also competed in spring football training during the months of April and March … currently ranked No. 6 in the country in the 110 meter hurdles out of football players competing in track and field.

Isaac Holtz, SO, Monticello, Iowa (West Rankings: Discus, 34^th)
Competition Times: Discus – May 27, 4 p.m.
Won the discus throw title at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13) with a throw of 178-11, also scoring team points in the shot put … finished in third in the discus with a personal-best of 179-1 to qualify him for the NCAA West Prelims … placed second overall in the discus at the Tom Botts Invitational (4/15) with a toss of 178-3 … earned a second place finish in the discus at the Bill Cornell Spring Classic (3/26) to open the outdoor season.

Jake Humpal, JR, Decorah, Iowa (West Rankings: Shot Put, 39^th)
Competition Times: Shot Put – May 28, 6 p.m.
Humpal will join Baker in the shot put after setting career-best marks during the indoor and outdoor season in the shot put … scored team points for the Panthers in the shot put at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13), placing seventh overall … earned a third place finish in the shot put at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6), setting a PR with a mark of 58-1.75, qualifying him for his first NCAA West Prelims appearance … had three top-five finishes in the shot put this season.
Luke Johnston, JR, Warrington, England (West Rankings: 800M, 41^st)
Competition Times: 800 Meters (1^st Round) – May 26, 8:35 p.m.
Earned team points in the 800 meters at the MVC Outdoor Championships, placing fifth overall … ran a personal-best of 1:49.88 in the event at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6), finishing in second place to qualify for the NCAA West meet … won the 800 meters at the Musco Twilight (4/23), running a time of 1:50.83 … also ran a 1:51.80 at the Tom Botts Invitational (4/15).

Shawn Koch, JR, Medinah, Ill. (West Rankings: Triple Jump, 28^th)
Competition Times: Triple Jump – May 28, 3 p.m.
Earned All-MVC honors in the triple jump for the third consecutive season, placing third overall at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13) … jumped for a career-best in the triple jump at the MVC Championships, going for a mark of 50-8.00 to rank him No. 4 all-time at UNI … won the triple jump at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6) … jumped 50-7.50 at the Tom Botts Invitational (4/15) for third place … also came away victorious at the Husker Spring Invite (4/9) in the triple jump … will make his second consecutive appearance at the NCAA West Preliminary Round.

Cole Phillips, FR, Mount Pleasant, Iowa (West Rankings: 110H, 42^nd)
Competition Times: 110 Hurdles (1^st Round) – May 27, 5:30 p.m.
Qualified for the NCAA West meet as a true freshman … scored team points for the Panthers at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13), placing fourth overall in the 110 meter hurdles with a wind-aided time of 14.27 … ran a wind-legal personal-best in the event of 14.35 at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6), placing second … won his heat in the hurdles at the Husker Spring Invitational (4/9).

Jon Rus, JR, Eldridge, Iowa (West Rankings: 110H, 21^st)
Competition Times: 110 Hurdles (1^st Round) – May 27, 5:30 p.m.
Finished in the top-three in the 110 meter hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships (5/13) for the second season in a row, earning third place and All-MVC honors … ran a wind-aided 13.95 in the hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships, pushing him into the top-25 in the West Region … posted a wind-legal personal-best of 14.01 to win the 110 hurdles at the Wisconsin Twilight (5/6) … finished in the top-three in the hurdles at the SIU Bill Cornell Spring Classic (3/26) and the Husker Spring Invite (4/9).