Three Are Headed to Austin After Day 1 of Prelims

Thursday, May 23

Jacksonville, Fla.

Syracuse University

NCAA East Preliminary

Three Are Headed to Austin After Day 1 of Prelims

5/23/2019 11:44:00 PM | Track and Field

The first day of the NCAA Track & Field East Prelims featured a handful of stellar performances by Syracuse student-athletes.

Three 'Cuse tickets were punched to the NCAA Championship, two 10k PRs were set and others out-paced their seed for a phenomenal first day in Jacksonville.

Laura Dickinson, Paige Stoner and Iliass Aouani all qualified in the 10,000-meters to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in two weeks.

Dickinson kicked off the evening with a PR in steamy conditions. The sophomore crossed the line in 33:31.24, taking the sixth spot in the race and booking her first trip to an NCAA championship event. Stoner crossed the line in 33:34.89 to easily qualify, as well.

Stoner and Dickinson hung in the lead pack for the bulk of the race before a trio broke off. Neither answered the move, both safely in qualifying position by being in the top-12 of the race. Down the stretch, Dickinson charged hard to pass Stoner, who had led the chase pack for the bulk of the race.

Shortly after the Orange women earned their spots in Austin, Iliass Aouani earned his on the men's side in a remarkably fast 10k for a championship meet. Aouani finished 12th in 29:19.46. While teammates Joe Dragon and Kevin James concluded their season on Thursday, they did so on a high note, both over-performing their seed heading into the race.

Dragon (29:37.87) earned a PR in a 14th-place finish, just two out of qualifying. Dragon was seeded 40th entering the race. James also out-ran his seed, crossing the line in 30:18.63, which earned him 27th after coming in seeded 46th.

The men's race started fast at the gun, led by Adriaan and Nadeel Wildschutt of Coastal Carolina. As the race strung out, Aouani held on to the automatic qualifying spot by staying near the leaders in a 12-man pack that broke off, including eventual winner Gilbert Kigen.

On Friday, Richard Floyd will look to try to add more Orange to Austin. He will compete in the first round of the 110-meter hurdles at 5 p.m. on FloTrack.