May 29, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina track and field teams will start their drive towards reaching the NCAA National Championships this weekend when they head to Greensboro, N.C. for the NCAA East Regional set to be held Friday, May 29 through Saturday, May 30 at NC A&T. Twenty different individuals will be in action in individual events, while both women's relay teams will be in action as well.

On the women's side, the Tar Heels will have four runners competing in the 400-meter dash with Tasha Stanley entering the event with the sixth-fastest time in the region at 2:06.70. Joining Stanley will be Dominique Jackson, Ashley Verplank and Callie Pottinger.

In the hurdles Vanneisha Ivy will be competing in the 100-meter hurdles, with the duo of LaToya James and Elizabeth Mott looking for a title in the 400-meter hurdles.

Addie Bracy will be the lone Tar Heel representative in the long distance events as the senior will be running the 3000-meter steeplechase where she holds the 10th-fastest time in the region.

The women's 4x100-meter relay will feature a Tar Heel squad with the third-fastest time in the region. The Tar Heels will have the choice between Vanneisha Ivy, Malai Walker, Cierra McGee, Tyler Ford, Christine Johnson and Jacinda Evans in the relay. Meanwhile the 4x400-meter relay squad will consist of four of the following six individuals: LaToya James, Elizabeth Mott, Callie Pottinger, Tasha Stanley, Shaunee Morgan and Christine Johnson.

Sophomore Patience Coleman and freshmen Jacinda Evans, Tyler Ford and Michelle Newman will compete in the jumps for the Tar Heels with Coleman battling for the top spot in the high jump. Evans and Ford will battle in their first career regional in the long jump, while Newman will compete in the triple jump.

Gabby Gioia will see action in the javelin throw where she holds the 14th-best mark in the region.

On the men's side Charles Cox will compete in the 400-meter dash, while fellow sophomore Adam Cunningham will represent the Tar Heels in the 1,500-meter run.

A trio of Tar Heels will be competing in the pole vault with Parker Smith leading the way with the sixth-best mark in the region followed by Scott Houston and Daniel Keller.

Keller has already punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships with an automatic mark in the heptathlon, along with teammate Mateo Sossah who both reached the mark at the ACC Championships a few weeks ago.

The long jump will feature Edward Baldwin III and Austin Davis for the Tar Heels as Baldwin enters with a chance at the title with the fourth-best mark in the region.

Davis will be one of the favorites in the triple jump as the sophomore All-America owns the second-best mark this season in the event.