Vikings racing on to NCAA regionals

Geronne Black is one of several members of the track and field squad who will try to qualify for nationals this weekend. Photo by Karl Kuchs.

Coming off a second-place finish at the Big Sky Championships two weeks ago, the PSU track and field squad is not done with the 2013 season just yet. Head coach Ronnye Harrison will be bringing a number of athletes to Austin, Texas, today to compete in the NCAA West Regionals. The meet runs through Saturday, with the top 12 in each event moving on to nationals next month in Eugene.

Representing the Vikings in Austin will be sprinters Geronne Black and Jazmin Ratcliff, distance runner Camelia Mayfield and Joenisha Vinson in the long jump. Vinson is already qualified for the national meet in the heptathlon based on her results in the Big Sky Championships, where she garnered Most Outstanding Performer honors.

Black’s final year at PSU has been a busy one. The sprinter has been breaking school records all season—in many cases besting her own marks—and took home gold in the women’s 100-meter dash at the conference championships. She now heads into what she hopes will not be her last race as a Viking.

“We’re really excited,” assistant coach Seth Henson said. “Geronne was at the indoor national meet, and I think she has enough talent to be top 12 coming out of Austin.”

Joenisha Vinson’s score in the heptathlon at the Big Sky meet ranked her 13th in the nation, though the heptathlon is not contested at the regional meet. The graduate student has shined in several events this year, however, and should be among the favorites in the long jump this weekend.

“She’s [set a personal record] every single time she’s long-jumped this season,” Henson said. “So I don’t know where her end is. Technically, there are things that we can work on. She’ll have an opportunity to go to nationals.”

Ratcliff and Mayfield are coming off impressive seasons as well. Mayfield has consistently turned in solid times for the Vikings, and despite nursing an injury all season the junior transfer managed to qualify for Austin in the 10K. Sophomore Ratcliff will compete in the 100-meter hurdles, an event in which she took second place at the Big Sky Championships.

After competition concludes on Saturday, qualified athletes will prepare for a trip to Eugene for the NCAA National Championships, scheduled for June 5–8.