JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Seven Eastern Kentucky University track and field student-athletes will compete at the NCAA East Region Preliminaries this weekend at Hodges Stadium on the campus of North Florida.
WHAT TO KNOW-
CLICK HERE for regional live stats, schedule, and start lists.
- The top-12 finishers from every event this weekend will advance to the NCAA Championships at Historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
- The seven regional qualifiers are the most EKU has produced in at least the last 11 years.
- Senior
Ole Hesselbjerg is the only one of the seven with previous regional experience. The remaining six Colonels will be making their regional debuts this weekend.
- Freshman
Tom Koringo will kick off the action in the prelims of the men's 1,500 meters on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET.
- Junior
Julie Mathisen and freshman
Carina Schrempf will then run in the prelims of the women's 800 meters on Thursday at 8:10 p.m. ET.
- Junior
Amos Kosgey will wrap up Thursday night in the finals of the men's 10,000 meters at 9:40 p.m. ET.
- Hesselbjerg and freshman
Jakob Abrahamsen will compete in the finals of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday night at 9:30 p.m. ET.
- Sophomore
Ambrose Maritim will run in the finals of the men's 5,000 meters on Saturday night at 8:45 p.m. ET.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR- Hesselbjerg is a two-time first team All-American in the steeplechase. He finished third in the event at the national championships last year, becoming EKU's first NCAA medalist since 2008. Hesselbjerg enters this weekend's meet ranked No. 1 in the East in the steeplechase with a personal-best time of 8:33.22.
- Kosgey enters the meet ranked No. 11 in the region in the 10,000 meters (29:10.87). Kosgey was voted the Ohio Valley Conference Male Cross Country Runner of the Year last fall and won OVC gold this track season in the indoor 3,000 meters and outdoor 5,000 meters.
- Mathisen is ranked No. 43 in the 800 meters (2:07.68). Mathisen is the two-time defending champion in the indoor OVC mile.
- Maritim is ranked No. 23 in the region in the 5,000 meters (14:02.38). Maritim is a two-time first team All-OVC performer in cross country.
- Abrahamsen is ranked No. 5 in the East in the steeplechase. His time of 8:40.44 is the fastest by any freshman in the country this season. Abrahamsen was voted this year's OVC Male Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
- Koringo is ranked No. 45 in the region in the 1,500 meters (3:45.72). Koringo was named the OVC Male Indoor Track Athlete of the Year back in February.
- Schrempf is ranked No. 41 in the 800 meters (2:07.61). Schrempf won the 800 meters at the OVC Indoor and Outdoor Championships this season.
UP NEXT- The NCAA Championships are scheduled for June 10-13.
