Tech Track Sends Three To NCAA Championships

June 7, 2011

ATLANTA – Three Georgia Tech women’s track and field athletes have earned the right to compete at the most elite of meets, the NCAA Championships, from Wednesday, June 8 to Saturday, June 11 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

Freshman Julienne McKee and seniors Leslie Njoku and Joanna Wright will all be making the trip to the campus of Drake University for the elite meet. It will mark the first trip to the NCAA Championships for McKee and Njoku and is the second go around for Wright.

McKee, the lone underclassman on the trip, was also the lone Jacket to compete in two events at the East Regional Championships. The freshman came up just shy in the long jump, despite winning her flight with a near career best jump of 6.03 meters. She excelled in the triple jump, however, finishing with a leap of 12.56 meters to earn the 12th and final qualifying spot. McKee has set career best marks of 12.89 meters in the triple jump at the ACC Championships while notching a leap of 6.05 meters in the long jump at the FSU Seminole Invite.

Njoku, making her first appearance at the meet in her senior season, earned her spot there after recording a career best time of 57.38 seconds in the quarterfinals in Bloomington, Ind. Njoku was ranked 11th in the east heading into the East Regionals and notched a 10th place finish at the meet.

Wright, launching herself to a height of 3.85 meters, earned a spot in the Outdoor National Championship pole vault for the second time in her career. The height was the lowest this season for the senior, who started off her outdoor season setting school record after school record. Wright is one of two ACC pole vaulters at the meet, the other, Lauren Terstappen, comes from Clemson.

The top-eight individuals to finish will be honored with the title of All-American. The next eight places, 9-16, will be named second team All-America while places 17-24 are Honorable Mention All-America.