May 29, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. -

The University of North Carolina track and field teams stepped into competition f on Friday at the East Regional looking to secure berths to the NCAA National Championships. Vanneisha Ivy and Ed Baldwin punched their tickets and more Tar Heels are looking to do the same.

The women's 4x100-meter relay won their preliminary heat and earned the fourth fastest time overall. The 45.07-qualifier was run by Vanneisha Ivy, Malai Walker, Cierra McGee and Tyler Ford. The Tar Heels will compete again on Saturday to try to claim their stakes at the National Championships.

Ivy also raced a 13.25 in the 100-meter hurdles, earning the second place slot in the East Regional and a place at the NCAA National Championships.

Ford also competed in the long jump alongside teammate Jacinda Evans. Ford reached 5.70-meters and Evans reached 5.97-meters. Neither distance qualifies the two Tar Heels for the women's long jump final.

Dominique Jackson qualified to race in the final of the women's 800-meter run on Saturday. Jackson ran the race in 2:07.30 giving her the sixth spot. Tasha Stanley, Ashley Verplank and Callie Pottinger also competed but did not qualify for the final race.

LaToya James and Elizabeth Mott raced in the women's 400-meter hurdles preliminary. James and Mott were separated by 0.02 seconds, but neither made the cut for the final on Saturday.

On the men's side, Charles Cox ran a 46.79 for the 400-meter dash. He earned second place in his preliminary heat. Unfortunately, Cox missed qualifying for the final race on Saturday by four places.

In the men's 1500-meter run, Adam Cunningham came incredibly close to receiving a bid to the championship. A mere 0.26 seconds divided his 3:48.50 finish and the Regional final.

Ed Baldwin captured fourth place with a 7.40-meter finish in the men's long jump. Baldwin's performance earns him a trip to the NCAA National Championships in the event. Teammate Austin Davis also competed in the long jump but came up short of advancement after jumping 7.28-meters.

Other than the final races for the women's 4x100-meter relay and the women's 800-meter run, Carolina will see more action from several other participants on Saturday. The women have a chance to win the 4x400-meter relay if they can better their third-ranked qualifying time of 3:36.01. The Tar Heels have several combinations of four they could run on Saturday. Those eligible are LaToya James, Elizabeth Mott, Callie Pottinger, Tasha Stanley, Shaunee Morgan and Christie Johnson.

Dominique Jackson will get another chance to better her standings in the 800-meter run as well. Addie Bracy, the sole female distance competitor for Carolina's women in the East Regional, will run the women's 3000-meter steeplechase. Gabby Gioia, normally a multis competitor, will throw in the women's javelin.

The Tar Heels will also see action from the jumpers. Patience Coleman will participate in the women's high jump and Michelle Newman in the women's triple jump. Austin Davis will represent the men in the triple jump.

The men's pole vault has three competitors out of Parker Smith, Scott Houston and Daniel Keller. Keller already received an invitation to the NCAA Championships with an automatic mark in the heptathlon at the ACC Championships a few weeks ago, as did teammate Mateo Sossah.

Competition at the NCAA East Regional will end on Saturday.