June 3, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina track and field teams placed 11 athletes on the USTFCCCA All-East Region team after their performances at last weekend's NCAA East Regional in Tallahassee, Fla. Freshman Charles Cox led the way by earning a pair of honors with a sixth-place finish in the 400-meter dash along with helping the 4x400-meter relay team to an eighth-place finish. The Tar Heels will now head to Des Moines, Iowa June 11-14 for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Six men earned all-region honors, led by the freshman sprinter Cox who earned a pair of honors. Sophomore Donte Nall finished second in the high jump and punched his ticket for the championships with his jump of 7-2.5 to earn all-region honors. Freshman Austin Davis will be joining Nall in Des Moines after finishing fourth in the triple jump and being named to the all-region team. The 4x400 quartet of Cox, Ryan Booker, Ian Williamson and Reggie Berry all picked up all-region honors for their eighth-place finish.

Five women earned all-region honors and four of the five will be making the trip to the NCAA Championships in two weeks. Freshman Dominique Jackson earned her spot in the championships with a second-place effort in the 800-meter run. Fellow freshman LaToya James will be joining Jackson as she finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles on Saturday. Vanneisha Ivy earned all-region honors in the 100-meter hurdles for the Tar Heels as well. In the field events, Patience Coleman (3rd, high jump) and Jocelyn White (2nd, discus) also will be heading to Des Moines. The all-region honor is White's third of her career.

The NCAA Championships begin June 11 in Des Moines, Ill. and are hosted Drake University.