They are nearing the halfway mark of the schedule and Incarnate Word's track and field athletes are warming to their tasks of reaching the NCAA Division II national championships in late May.
The USTFCCCA has released its rankings and Cardinals are now listed in several events based on their spring outdoor performances. The NCAA itself will extend the meet invitations but the USTFCCCA list is a sure indicator of how individuals and relay teams stack up nationally.
There are two different qualifying lists for the national meet. In all events, runs, jumps and throws, the NCAA sets standards. When athletes reach those standards or surpass them, they get on the automatic qualifying list. Prior to the national meet, if there are not enough automatic qualifiers then athletes are invited from the provisional list which too has minimum standards.
UIW MEN ON LIST
On the men's side of things, UIW has three individuals and one relay team nationally ranked. The 4x100 relay team of Lamar Edwards-Johnson, Adan Narvaez, Christopher DeWitt and Tommy Brown are on the provisional list with their 40.90 time recorded at the Bobby Lane Classic in Arlington. That time currently is the sixth best in Division II.
Joining the men's 4x1 relay team Incarnate Word has Leon Knights on the provisional list in the high jump after reaching the minimum mark of 2.05 meters in Arlington. Knights' height is now tied for seventh in the nation. One week before that, Chance Dziuk put himself on the provisional list with a discus throw of 51.08 meters which is now fifth in Division II.
And on the cusp of the provisional list is sprinter Tommy Brown with his 10.61 time in the 100-meters. The provisional standard is 10.60. To date Brown's time is ninth in the nation.
Brown and the relay squad will be in Austin this weekend having qualified for the Texas Relays. Brown will compete in the 100 on Friday morning before anchoring the relay team on Saturday afternoon.
WOMEN LISTED ALSO
Marissa Shinsky was the first Cardinal to get onto the provisional list. She cleared 1.68 meters in the high jump which is the provisional standard. That height is now tied for eighth in the nation.
Then, the UIW 4x100 relay team timed at 47.01 in Arlington a week ago and that dipped below the provisional mark. That time is now ninth in the nation. The foursome is Brittney Holcombe, Lauren Pratt, Stephanie Nelson and Shaneve Swift.
The relay team will be in Austin this week competing Friday morning at the Texas Relays. The team will be joined by Zariah Noyola who qualified for the Austin 400-meter hurdles which will be run on Thursday afternoon.
Another chance to lower or raise marks comes this weekend when the bulk of the Incarnate Word track and field teams will be at the Tiger Relays set for Friday at Trinity in San Antonio. This is the first of three meets before the Cardinals challenge for titles at the Lone Star Conference championships the first week of May.
