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LEXINGTON, Ky. - The University of South Alabama track and field program will send 10 student-athletes to compete in the NCAA East Region Preliminaries beginning Thursday at the Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility. The 10 regional qualifiers mark the third-consecutive outdoor season the Jaguar program has qualified 10 or more athletes.

"Getting to the East Regional is no small task," head track and field coach Paul Brueske said. "If some of our student-athletes just go out and compete the way we know they are capable, we could have some advance to the NCAA Championships." 

Kaitlyn Beans is the only returning athlete that has advanced to the NCAA Championship level, advancing three times in the women's triple jump and earning second-team All-American accolades last year and honorable mention accolades the two seasons prior. She's currently ranked 16th in the region after her 13.10-meter jump at the Sun Belt Championships earned her the league title for the event. 

Andrew Allen will be the first of the Jaguars to compete at the regional on Thursday in the men's javelin at noon. Zach Blahnik and Barbara Rivera, both making their third appearance at the regional level, will compete in the men's hammer and women's javelin, respectively, at 4 p.m. Blahnik's personal-best throw of 65.92m at the Sun Belt Conference Championship puts him 25th in the region. Rivera won the Sun Belt title for the third-straight year with a school-record throw of 50.39m two weeks ago. 

Finally, Megan James, a junior women's pole vaulter, will be the last athlete to compete in the day-one field events at 4:30 p.m. She also earned all-conference honors placing third in the league championships' event. 

Arius Gilstrap, the lone South Alabama track athlete to qualify for regionals, will compete in the men's 400-meter hurdles at 5 p.m. Thursday. 

Three individuals will participate in the field events on Friday with Sean Collins and Niel Giliomee taking part in the men's pole vault at 4:30 p.m.. Collins, who was unable to compete in regionals last season due to injury, stands fifth in the region going into this weekend. The sophomore won the men's outdoor Sun Belt Conference pole vault title, while Giliomee placed third in the event. Taylor Dames will also compete at the same time on Friday, only in the women's high jump. 

Two seniors will round out the Jaguars' 10 competing athletes on Sunday with both Lezyon Legarde and Beans competing in the triple jump. Legarde, who earned third-team all-conference honors in the event at the Sun Belt Championship, will jump at 3 p.m., while Beans will look to advance to the NCAA Championships a fourth time in the event at 6 p.m.

The top 12 in the final round of qualification in each event will advance to the NCAA Championships, scheduled to be held in Eugene, Ore., June 8-11.

Live results and live streaming of events can be found here for this weekend.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Finish Line Club, the track and field and cross country specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All donations to the Finish Line Club go directly to support the South Alabama track and field/cross country programs.  For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/finishlineclub

 —USA—