SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State track and field squad earned a school-record six bids to the 2012 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships as announced Tuesday by the NCAA Selection Committee. For the second year in a row, the Gators will be represented at the national meet in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, joining first-time individual competitors
Keenya McDaniel (100 meters, triple jump),
Tiana Wills (high jump) and
Maya Cabiness (400 hurdles).
“I am extremely pleased with this year's team, and our record number of qualifiers is evidence of the incredible quality of these young women,” said SF State head coach Terry Burke. “Their national invitations are a reflection of the extraordinary focus and determination they have demonstrated throughout the season.”
McDaniel set an automatic qualifying mark in the triple jump at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational on April 28 with a school-record leap of 42 feet, 2 ¼ inches, which ranks sixth nationally. The Selma, Calif., native also garnered a No. 16 seed in the 100-meter dash after posting a new Gator State standard of 11.84 seconds to win the event title at the California Collegiate Association Championships on May 5.
Not be outdone, McDaniel was also a key contributor to SF State's high successful relay teams this season. Serving as anchor in the 4x400 event, the Gator sophomore combined with
Maya Cabiness and
Brionne Baucham and
Carrie Thomas at the Brutus Hamilton Invite on April 27 to register a new school record of 3:42.58, which earned the quartet a No. 4 seed. In addition, McDaniel ran the opening leg in the 4x100 race, joining forces with Baucham, Thomas and
Alicia Chambers to capture the CCAA title with an SF State standard of 46.21, which puts the combo in the 12th position for nationals.
Wills, meanwhile, was an automatic qualifier in the high jump, posting her first mark at the Brutus Hamilton Invite, before capturing the CCAA crown with school-record height of 5-10, which ranks fourth nationally. In addition, Cabiness gained a No. 18 seed in the 400 hurdles after establishing yet another Gator standard of 1:00.93 at the Brutus Hamilton Invite as well.
Elsewhere, SF State maintained its national ranking in the final NCAA Division II team index of the season, landing at No. 21 this week after falling five spots from the 16th position. Having already completed their conference meet the week prior, the Gators also dropped two notches from fifth to seventh in the latest West Region index.
The NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships are slated for May 24-26 at Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State-Pueblo.
"The championship facilities look incredible, and with the right conditions I expect some incredible performances to cap what has been a a truly historic season for our program," Burke concluded.
Complete List of Accepted Entries
Meet Schedule
