JACKSONVILLE, FLA. -- Furman senior Ryan Adams advanced to the quarterfinals of the 1,500m to lead Furman Wednesday in the opening day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships East Preliminaries, which are being hosted by the University of North Florida and the Jacksonville Sports Council this week in Jacksonville, Fla.
A native of Hudson, Ohio, Adams finished third in his heat to advance automatically to Friday's quarterfinals, which are slated for 5:45 p.m. He posted a time of 3:43.32 to take fourth place overall. Adams is making his third NCAA East Preliminaries appearance in the event. As a junior in 2019, he earned All-American accolades after placing 16th at the NCAA Championships. He entered the meet ranked fifth in the 1,500m after posting a program record of 3:37.66 at the Oregon Twilight Meet.
Also on Wednesday, senior Daniel Bernal of El Paso, Texas, posted a time of 29:56.39 to finish 27th in the 10,000m. Bernal entered the meet ranked 34th in the East in the event with a time of 29:17.95, a personal best which he registered at the Raleigh Relays in March.
On Thursday, the first round of the women's 800m is scheduled for 7:50 p.m., with 24 runners advancing to Saturday's quarterfinals. Freshman Megan Marvin and senior Emma Kuntz will represent the Paladins in the event. Marvin, a native of Chapel Hill, N.C., recorded an 800m qualifying times at the SoCon outdoor championships earlier this month, while Kuntz, who hails from Louisville, Ky., qualified at the Tennessee Relays in April. Marvin ranks 13th in the East with a time of 2:04.18, while Kuntz, who also competed in the 800m at the 2019 East Preliminaries, sits in 32nd place at 2:05.99.
The semifinals of the men's 3,000m Steeplechase are scheduled for Friday at 6:10 p.m., with the men's 5,000m semifinals following at 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
Junior Cameron Ponder, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., and freshman Carson Williams, who hails from Raleigh, N.C., each recorded 3,000m Steeplechase qualifying times at the Lee University Last Chance meet last weekend. Ponder ranks 17th with a time of 8:44.63, while Williams enters the meet in 22nd place with a time of 8:46.78.
Senior Jake Ogden, a native of Dana Point, Calif., ranks 46th with a time of 13:57.50 in the 5,000m, which he posted at the EKU Rick Erdmann Twilight Meet in April. He competed in the 1,500m at the East Preliminaries in both 2018 and 2019.
The women's 3,000m Steeplechase semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at 6:10 p.m. with the 5,000m semifinals to follow Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Senior Gabbi Jennings, a native of Slidell, La., has reached the NCAA East Preliminaries in the 3,000m Steeplechase for the third-straight outdoor season. She earned All-American honors with a ninth-place finish in the event at the 2019 championship meet. Her personal-best time of 9:43.48, a new program record and Olympic trials qualifying time, which she posted at the Drake Relays, ranks third in the East, Jennings also posted qualifying times in the 800m, 1,500m, and 5,000m, but will focus her efforts on the Steeplechase.
A native of Aldie, Va., freshman Bethany Graham recorded a personal-record time of 15:57.92 to qualify in the 5,000m, knocking over 12 seconds off her previous personal best and becoming just the fifth woman in Furman history and the first Paladin freshman to break the 16:00 mark. She enters the championships ranked 24th in the East.
The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Eugene, Oregon, June 9-12.
NCAA East Preliminaries - Furman Schedule/Results
Wednesday, May 26
Men's 1,500m 1st round – Ryan Adams - 4th (3:43.32)
Men's 10,000m – Daniel Bernal - 27th (29:56.39)
Thursday, May 27
7:50 p.m. - Women's 800m 1st Round – Megan Marvin & Emma Kuntz
Friday, May 28
5:45 p.m. - Men's 1,500m quarterfinals – Ryan Adams
6:10 p.m. - Men's 3,000m Steeplechase Semifinals – Cameron Ponder & Carson Williams
8:30 p.m. - Men's 5,000m Semifinals – Jake Ogden
Saturday, May 29
6:10 p.m. - Women's 3,000m Steeplechase Semifinals – 6:10 p.m. – Gabbi Jennings
7:35 p.m. - Women's 800m Quarterfinals – 7:35 p.m. – Megan Marvin & Emma Kuntz pending advancement
8:30 p.m. - Women's 5,000m Semifinals – Bethany Graham
