Seven Sam Houston State track and field athletes - four men and three women - will be competing in the West preliminary round of the 2010 NCAA Division I outdoor track and field championships Thursday, May 27 through Saturday, May 29.

A. J. Edwards, Chris Gilchrist, Scottie Jones and Jay Newman will compete in the men's division. Sabrina Starr, Ambra McCuin and Jordan Heggie will represent the Bearkats in the women's competition. The preliminary round will be hosted by the University of Texas.

To advance to the NCAA finals in Eugene, Or., June 9-12, competitors must finish among the top 12 in their event.

Edwards brings the highest ranking of any of the Bearkats into the competition. With his long jump of 25' 2.5" at the Northwestern State Demon Relays on May 2, Edwards stands 10th among the NCAA West preliminary round entries.

Gilchrist will be the only Sam Houston student-athlete competing in two events in Austin. Gilchrist ranks 15th in the triple jump with a mark of 51' 6.5" which earned him a runner-up finish at the Southland Conference outdoor meet. He also stands 31st among the entries for the long jump with a 24' 7.25" performance at the Texas Relays.

Jones stands 25th in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.13 seconds at the Texas Relays. Newman ranks 44th among the 400 meter hurdles competitors with his 51.98 clocking at the Southland Conference meet.

Heggie ranks 24th in the women's 100 meter hurdles with her best time of 13.62 seconds run at the Northwestern State meet. Starr ranks 35th in the 100 meter hurdles with her best time of 13.77 seconds.

McCuin, who won the Southland Conference triple jump title, stands 46th with her best mark of 39' 2.5".

SAM HOUSTON STATE ENTRIES IN THE
NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD PRELIMINARY ROUND
MAY 27-29 IN AUSTIN TEXAS