Lincoln has 23 entries at track & field championships

The Lincoln track and field teams will be busy this weekend at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships, which starts today and runs through Saturday at Bradenton, Fla.

The Blue Tigers qualified 15 members on the men's and women's teams with 23 entries for the national championships.

The Lincoln men, ranked No. 3 in Division II by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, advanced 10 athletes to nationals, with five athletes competing in three events each.

Senior Sedeekie Edie returns to the national championships for the third straight year in tonight's long jump and will be the No. 1 seed in the event.

Edie also qualified for the national championships in the triple jump. He earned All-American honors in both events during the indoor season.

The rest of the men's qualifiers for the Blue Tigers will take to the track.

Lincoln makes up 25 percent of the men's 200-meter dash field with five qualifiers. Junior Faedian Royes leads the Blue Tigers, seeded fifth. Senior Miguel Barton (eighth), juniors Stephen Rose (10th), Roberto Smith (15th) and Jakiel David (18th) are also in the 200.

Smith, Rose and David will also run in the 100-meter dash and will make up three-fourths of the 4x100-meter relay. Along with senior Oshane Hylton, Lincoln is seeded second in that event.

Hunter, Royes, Barton and junior Kevon Robinson will run in the 4x400-meter relay, which is seeded third.

In addition to the 100 and 200, Lincoln will also have multiple qualifiers in the 400-meter dash. Royes enters as the No. 2 seed in the event, while Barton is seeded sixth.

Other national qualifiers for the Lincoln men include senior Darran Hunter in the 400-meter hurdles and junior Alex Templeton in the high jump.

The Lincoln women, ranked No. 17 by the USTFCCCA, have five athletes entered in seven events, with four athletes competing in multiple events.

Senior Kimberley Bailey leads the Blue Tigers in three events. Bailey is seeded fourth in the 100 and also qualified in the 200 and 4x400.

Junior Kissi-Ann Brown is entered in the 400-meter dash and freshman Shanice Clarke will run in the 400-meter hurdles. Both are also on the 4x400 relay, along with sophomore Renea Ambersley.

Junior Diana Cauldwell is the Lincoln women's only representative in the field events. Cauldwell will participate in the triple jump - as the No. 4 seed - and the long jump.

Two area athletes have also qualified for the national championships.

Central Missouri junior Amy Dorge (Blair Oaks High School) is seeded 15th in the women's discus, which takes place at 1 p.m. Friday.

Missouri Southern junior Allie Heckemeyer (St. Elizabeth High School) is the No. 21 seed in the women's triple jump, scheduled for 3:45 p.m. Saturday.

III

Two area athletes will participate in the NAIA Track and Field National Championships, which begin today and run through Saturday at Gulf Shores, Ala.

William Woods junior Madelyn Scrivner (Eldon High School) is seeded eighth in the women's hammer throw, which is the first event of the national championships. It begins at 10 a.m. today.

William Woods senior Kaleb Wilson (Linn High School) is one of 77 entries in the men's marathon, scheduled to start at 6 a.m. Saturday. Wilson is the No. 57 seed in the event.