BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Harold Sims, Adoniss
Jones and Diego Lawrence will all make
the trip to Greensboro, N.C. on May 28 after qualifying for the
NCAA East Regional.
Sims, a senior, will be just the second Camel ever to compete in at
least four NCAA competitions, after Alicia Valtin, who made a
school record five appearances. This will be Sims' third 400 meter
hurdles appearance. The Oxford, N.C. native made the 110 and 400
meter hurdle fields a year ago.
The senior qualified for the event with his season-best 51.70 at
the Joe Hilton Carolina Classic. The time ranks Sims fourth in the
USTFCCCA Southeast Region, and 26th in the entire East's
championship field.
Sims claimed the Atlantic Sun 400 meter hurdle crown for the
fourth straight year last weekend, becoming just the second athlete
in the conference to ever accomplish the feat, along with fellow
Camel Eric Bergemann, who won the high jump from 2000 through
2003.
Jones is making his third straight appearance in the 110 meter
hurdles event, after claiming the A-Sun crown with school record
time of 14.00. The mark ranks Jones 10th in the
Southeast, and 18th in the entire East. The mark also
tied a conference record, matching Samford's Derrick Moore from
2001.
Lawrence qualified for the men's long jump competition with a 7.50
meter leap at the Liberty Twilight. The freshman is the fourth
highest rated rookie in the East field behind LSU's Damar Forbes
(7.93m), Long Island's Brian Richards (7.64m) and Ohio State's
Corbin Smith (7.53m). The freshman ranks eighth in the Southeast
and 31st in the NCAA East field.
Last year, seven Camels qualified for the field in nine events, the
second most in school history. The field was narrowed this year,
however, limiting the number of possible regional qualifiers to 48
for each of the two regions per individual event.
The NCAA East Regionals will begin on Friday, May 28 in Greensboro,
N.C. at Aggie Stadium, and will be hosted by North Carolina
A&T.
