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Track and Field Sends Three Individuals and a Relay to NCAA East Regional
Kizzee Will Compete in 100, 200 and 4x100 Relay Events in Greensboro, N.C.

	Freshman Jamie Riles Enters with the 11th Fastest 400-meter Dash Time in the East Regional

May 26, 2010

2010 East Regional Heat Sheets | East Regional Live Results

NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane track and field program has three individuals and one relay team that will take to the lanes at Aggie Stadium on the North Carolina A&T campus for the NCAA East Regional. Olivia Kizzee will complete in a pair of events at the regional, while Jamie Riles will take part in the 400-meter dash and Ana Ruzevic will throw the javelin at the NCAA Regional competition.

"We are coming off of probably our strongest team effort of the season at the Conference USA meet," said Tulane head coach Eric Peterson. "That was shown by the number of seasonal and lifetime best results that were produced by our team members in Orlando. I am really proud of the athletes that have qualified for the regional meet. They have all worked extremely hard this season and they've been the leaders of our team throughout (this season). It is great for them to be able to enter the first round of the national championship competition. They have earned the opportunity to compete against the best and we are looking forward to having another great meet."

In all individual sprinting events, the top three participants from each heat plus the next six fastest times will advance to the quarterfinals. Those 24 athletes will compete in the quarterfinals at North Carolina A&T with the top three from the three heats and the next three fastest times advancing to the NCAA National Semifinals.

Riles will enter with the 11th fastest time in 400-meter dash at the East Regional this season. She claimed the Conference USA Outdoor crown with a 53.62 showing in Orlando on May 16. The freshman will run out of lane eight in the third heat of the opening round, as she owns the second fastest time in that heat. Riles was the third Tulane student-athlete to capture the 400-meter dash crown at the Conference USA Outdoor Meet and edged her closest competitor by just 0.20-seconds to claim the title.

Kizzee will have the busiest program at the regional as she will compete in the 100 and 200-meter dash events, while running the second leg of the 4x100-meter relay. The senior enters the regional with a return trip to the NCAA Championships on her mind. Last season, the Houston, Texas native advanced to the national meet in both individual events. She enters the 2010 regional as the 22nd ranked competitor in the 100-meter and is 39th heading into the first round of the 200-meter dash.

Ruzevic has had a solid season in her specialty event, owning a season-best toss of 45.12 in the javelin. The sophomore currently ranks 23rd heading into the regional, with the top 16 advancing to the regional finals and the top 12 athletes after three throws in the finals will move on to the national meet.

The 4x100 relay team takes the 19th fastest time into the regional. The team of Kasey Rodgers, Kizzee, Tiffanie Smith and Riles set their qualifying time of 45.13 at FSU Twilight on May 8. The quartet will run out of lane two in the first heat of the quarterfinals, with the top three times from each heat and the next three fastest times advancing straight to Eugene, Oregon for the National Semifinals.

--TulaneGreenWave.com--