OSU sending record number to NCAA regional

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A record number of Oregon State student/athletes has qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Championships.

Sprinter Venessa D'Arpino, steeplechaser Juliana Mount, distance runner Morgan Anderson, long jumper Kara Hallock and throwers Kindel Bailey and McKenzie Byrd will compete at the regional, scheduled for Thursday through Saturday at the University of Texas.

The old record was four, set in 2010 and matched in 2011. Five of the six qualifiers are Oregon high school graduates.

A senior from Silverton High School and Scotts Mills, Ore., Anderson will be making her third regional appearance. She placed 28^th in the 1,500 in 2015 and 2016.
D'Arpino, Mount, Hallock, Bailey and Byrd will make their first postseason appearance.

Qualifiers from the West Preliminary Meet advance to the NCAA Championships, set for June 7-10 at Hayward Field in Eugene. Hallock has already qualified for the national meet in the heptathlon.

"This is another example of how our program continues to grow and improve." OSU coach Kelly Sullivan said. "A regional berth is a reward for a year of hard work, and incentive for our student/athletes to take the next step as individuals and as a team."

Each event features 48 competitors. The top 12 finishers in the Austin Regional and the top 12 in the concurrent Lexington Regional advance to Eugene.

D'Arpino will run in the 400 meters (54.14) on May 25 and the 200 meters (23.63) on May 26. She is the school record-holder in both events. She is seeded 44^th of 48 in the 200 and 48^th in the 400. She graduated from North Valley High School in Grant Pass.
Mount will run the 3,000-meter steeplechase on May 26. She is seeded 33^rd with a school-record time of 10:22.97. She is a graduate of Notre Dame HS in San Jose, Calif.
Anderson will run the 5,000 meters this year, on May 27. She is seeded 42^nd in 16:17.50, the No. 2 all-time mark.
Hallock is seeded 47^th in the long jump in 19-10.75, the No. 2 all-time mark. The Lebanon HS graduate jumps on May 25.
Bailey is seeded 35^th in 151-0, the OSU school record. Byrd is seeded 36^th in 150-9.25, the No. 2 all-time mark. Bailey graduated from Banks HS, Byrd from Hermiston HS. They throw on May 25.

For more information on the Oregon State track and field program, follow the Beavers on Facebook at Facebook.com/OSUTrackCrossCountry, or on Twitter at twitter.com/@BeaverTFXC

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Players Mentioned

Morgan Anderson

Kindel Bailey

McKenzie Byrd

Venessa D'Arpino

Kara Hallock

Juliana Mount