University of South Florida
NCAA East Preliminary Round
Anderson, O'Neal Advance to NCAA Championships
May 30, 2014 | Track & Field
Results: Men's 110m Hurdles | Women's High Jump | Men's Triple Jump
Meet Central | Schedule | Live Stats | Complete Results
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 30, 2014 – Courtney Anderson and Matthew O'Neal advanced to the NCAA Championships on the second day of the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Fla.
Anderson qualified with a cleared height of 5-11.5 (1.81m) in the high jump while O'Neal was good enough with a distance of 52-10 (16.10m) in the triple jump. Both were All-Americans last season and will try to duplicate the feat June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.
Anderson was one of five to clear the 5-11.5, a season-high for the Cape Coral, Fla. native.
“Since I haven't been consistently as good as last year, there was a little bit of pressure,” Anderson said. “So I had to get my mind right and focus on this meet to do what I needed to do.”
O'Neal's distance was third in the field and his third best of the season. Marquis Dendy of Florida won with a top distance of 53-6.5 (16.32m).
“I was feeling a little tense and a little anxiety,” said O'Neal. But I just had to do what I had been doing and that is trusting in God to help me.”
Senior Shane Lewis (Orlando) finished 20th in the men's triple jump with a distance of 50-4 (15-34m), failing to advance to the final flight.
“My first jump felt okay,” said Lewis. “Coming down on my second jump I felt really good and really fast. I was just trying too hard on my last attempt. I just needed to relax and do what I did to get here.”
The jump was far from his best of 51-7.32 (15.73m) set at the Texas Relays. Lewis leaves USF as the only men's NCAA Indoor All-American for the Bulls.
Freshman Christopher Grinley (Lake Worth, Fla.) finished fifth in his heat of the men's 110m hurdles, outside the necessary top three finish to advance to Saturday's quarterfinals. His time of 14.29 was just off his personal record of 14.11, but not fast enough to be one of the 12 not in the top three to advance.
“I was probably mid-pack going into the first hurdle,” said Grinley, who finished 39th overall in the field of 48. “I felt pretty fast today, but I hit a lot of hurdles early and that kind of threw my race off. I finished with a pretty decent time, but I'm not satisfied with it.”
Grinley, who was one of six freshmen in the field, will next compete at the USA Junior Championships July 5-6 in Eugene, Ore.
Devin Screen (Tallahassee, Fla.) starts off the Saturday schedule with the discus at noon. Marqueshia Stallworth (Laxahatchee, Fla.) competes in the triple jump at 5 p.m. and the 4x100m relay will start at 6:30 p.m.
Follow @USFTrack on twitter for immediate USF results. Check back at GoUSFBulls.com for a complete recap.
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QUOTES
Friday
Courtney Anderson, senior, 5-11.5 (1.81m), top five
On her performance:
“This season has been a little less consistent than last season, but I am peaking at the right time. Since I haven't been consistently as good as last year, there was a little bit of pressure. So I had to get my mind right and focus on this meet to do what I needed to do.”
On preparation for Eugene:
“Just run, do some plyos. Do whatever I need to get better. I'm going to do whatever I can to place in the top eight again.”
Matthew O'Neal, sophomore, triple jump, 52-10 (16.10m), third
On his performance:
“It was definitely a blessing to get out that kind of a jump. I was feeling a little tense and a little anxiety, but I just had to do what I had been doing and that is trusting in God to help me.”
On preparation for Eugene:
“Definitely keep training and train harder. Put in the hours with Coach (Peter) Herber. I hope to do my best and we'll see what happens.”
Shane Lewis, senior, triple jump, 50-4 (15.34m), 20th
On his performance:
“My first jump felt okay. Coming down on my second jump I felt really good and really fast. I was just trying too hard on my last attempt. I just needed to relax and do what I did to get here.”
Summer plans:
“I'm not worried about this summer, I'm worried about Monday. Monday I'm going to go out with coach and keep training and try to prepare myself for the Olympics in 2016.”
Christopher Grinley, freshman, 110m hurdles, 14.29, 39th
On the race:
“My start has always been a week part for me, but today I think I had a pretty good start. I was probably mid-pack going into the first hurdle. I felt pretty fast today, but I hit a lot of hurdles early and that kind of threw my race off. I finished with a pretty decent time, but I'm not satisfied with it.”
On what time he thought it would take to qualify for the quarterfinals:
“I thought I would have to run 13's and I came in with a PR of 14.11. I thought I could PR and run below 14.00.”
What's next:
“I'll go to the USA Junior Championships and if I do well there I'll hopefully go to world juniors.”
Thursday
Alfred Higgs, Junior, 100m, 11:49, 43rd
On the race:
“I felt good when I was warming up and I felt good when I was in the starting blocks. About 40 meters into the race when I was in my drive phase I tweaked my hamstring again so I wasn't able to go to that next level of speed. I had to shut it down because my legs gave away.”
On the similarity to the injury suffered at the conference meet:
“It's not as bad as at conference because I was able to control it a little bit just now. At conference I wasn't able to control it at all.”
On his spot on the 4x100m relay team:
“I'm going to see how it feels tomorrow, but I probably will let my teammate (Franklin Mosely) run because he's healthier than me. I want to give them the best opportunity to try and make it to nationals or break the school record again.”
Summer plans:
“I'm going to finish my classes and do some offseason training on the beach back home. I want to try and make the national team for the Bahamas.”
Natasha Stewart, Junior, Long Jump, 19-6.25 (5.95m), 26th
On the jumps:
“With my first jump, my mark wasn't on. For my second jump, I adjusted it. I was on the board and I got a good take off, but I just didn't do what I needed to do in the air. Overall I'm pretty content.”
“I give all glory to God for making it this far. I'm happy with my performance because it's much better than last season so I'm improving and I have another year left.”
Summer plans:
“Training and working on what I need to do in order to be ready for next season. I'll also be working at the YMCA (with teammate Marqueshia Stallworth) with summer camp kids.
