App State competed in the NCAA East First Round in Jacksonville, Florida from Wednesday to Saturday. Six different athletes competed in the event for the Mountaineers.
Freshman Lilly Nichols was the highlight of the event, as she was the first athlete in university history to qualify for the NCAA championships in the women’s pole vault. Her jump of 4.24 meters was both a school and personal best.
Sophomore Matthew Gray finished 15th in the men’s pole vault with a leap of 5.33 meters, just missing qualification to the NCAA championships.
Sophomore Kendall Johnson finished the women’s 100-meter with a time of 11.36, which was good for 19th in her heat. In the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, redshirt senior Calbert Guest finished 23rd with a time of 8:55.25.
Graduate student Patrick Freeman and junior Ava Studney also participated in events at the regional, but were unable to record jumps in their men’s and women’s pole vaults respectively.
App State and Nichols will head to Eugene, Oregon, for the NCAA championships from June 11-14. The women’s pole vault is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 12 at 7:35 p.m.