USA TRACK AND FIELD ENDS NCAA PRELIMS WITH VALIANT EFFORT

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Three University of South Alabama track and field athletes ended their seasons Saturday in the last day of competition at the East Region of the NCAA Championships held at Indiana University's Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex.

Head Coach Paul Brueske described his team's performance as a "valiant” effort overall.

"I'm very proud of the effort our athletes showed this weekend," Brueske said. "We had guys advance to the finals in multiple events and losing in the finals against some of the best competitors in the nation is nothing to hang your head about. Hopefully, this will motivate our guys to get better, so that we can make it past the first round of nationals next year."

Anton Graphenreed advanced past the first round of the men's 200-meter dash Friday on a time of 21.22 seconds and finished 17th in semifinals, clocking in at 21.48 seconds.

Joey Torres advanced to the finals in the men's discus throw Saturday, but came up just short of the top 12 finish needed to advance the Jag junior to the NCAA Championships. Torres’ best mark came on his third attempt in the qualifying round with a distance of 54.02m (177-02) just 0.25m behind Auburn’s Marcus Popenfoose who finished in 12th and advanced to the finals.

Demetre Baker – also competing in the discus - finished 34th in the qualifying round with his best throw coming on his last attempt - a mark of 49.19m (161-05).

Lindsay Schwartz - who bypassed the preliminary rounds - will compete in the first round of the women's heptathlon at the NCAA Championships, held in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 8-11.

Full results from the regional can be found at www.ncaa.com/content/outdoor-track-east-regional.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletics events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Men's Discus Throw Qualifying Round

Joey Torres – 49.64m - Foul – 54.02m – 52.95m – Foul – 43.73m – 13th – 54.02m (177-03)

Demetre Baker –38.74m – Foul – 49.19m – 34th – 49.19m (161-05)

200m - Semifinal Round

Anton Graphenreed - 17th - 21.48

- USA -

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