NCAA track: Prandini qualifies for finals in 100, other ex-locals also star
University of Oregon and ex-Clovis High star Jenna Prandini ran the 100 in a heat-winning 11.11 seconds Friday, making her a double qualifier for the NCAA Championships after earning a spot in the long jump a day earlier.
Prandini still has the 200 to go, but cruised to a spot in Saturday’s quarterfinals of that event at the NCAA West Prelims in Austin, Texas, with a heat-winning time of 22.98. She was a top-three medalist in all of those events at last year’s finals at her home track in Eugene. The 2015 meet will return to Hayward Field for a third straight season June 10-13.
Fresno State’s Kyra Johnson qualified for the NCAA finals by timing 58.36 in the 400 low hurdles, the 10th-best time.
Twin sisters Anginae Monteverde and Alyssa Monteverde-Dalton — ex-Clovis West standouts at Brigham Young after transferring from Oregon — also are performing well. Anginae qualified for the NCAA finals as one of 11 pole vaulters to clear 13-11. The ex-prep state champion sailed 14-0 indoors at BYU.
Alyssa advanced to the semifinals in the 100 high hurdles by placing third in her heat at 13.34 — 14th best of 24 making the semis.
▪ Air Force high jumper Taylor Smith (Buchanan), San Diego State pole vaulter Holly Waseloff (Buchanan) and Long Beach State long jumper Willie Alexander (Central) didn’t qualify for the NCAA finals. Smith went 6-113/4, Waseloff 13-1 and Alexander 24-7.
▪ Fresno State’s Njeri Omawahleh missed the cut for the quarterfinal round of the 200 by .02 seconds. Omawahleh timed in at 23.79 seconds to place 25th out of 48.
▪ The Bulldogs’ Keane Bland turned in a personal best 14.28 in the110 hurdles, topping the 14.32 he set at the Mountain West Championships on May 16. Those who qualified for the quarterfinals posted a 13.99 or better.
▪ Among others set to be in action on Saturday’s closing day are Fresno State’s Annemarie Schwanz in the 5,000 and the Bulldogs’ 4-x-400 relay of Nailah Harris-Murillo, Dezirae Johnson, Kyra Johnson and Omawahleh.
This story was originally published May 29, 2015 at 10:42 PM with the headline "NCAA track: Prandini qualifies for finals in 100, other ex-locals also star."