GREENVILLE, N.C. — East Carolina track & field is set to send nine athletes in 11 events to the NCAA East Preliminary meet on May 24-27 at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The top 12 athletes in each event at the preliminary meets will advance to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas on June 7-10. Nine qualifiers are the most for the Pirates since 2018.

“We are extremely excited to have qualified nine different athletes in 11 different events to compete at the NCAA East Regional Championships In Jacksonville, Fla. next week,” said Director of Track & Field Curt Kraft. “This meet is extremely difficult to qualify for, make no mistake about it. To get to get to this point in the season and still be competing is testimonial to all the hard work and dedication these athletes have put forth. The goal is not only to qualify for this meet, but ultimately to move onto Austin, Texas for the finals. The good news for some of the athletes who have qualified, is that they have experienced this stage before. I know one thing: the athletes who have moved on are carrying on a lot energy and enthusiasm into the Regional Championships from our Conference Championships. As I have always said, you have to beat the best, to be the best.”

Melicia Mouzzon and Royal Burris highlight the field of Pirates, competing in two events each – both set to enter the starting blocks in the 100m and 200m.

Mouzzon enters ranked 12th in the 100m and 42nd in the region in the 200m while Burris is ranked 12th and seventh in the events respectively. Burris’ time of 20.20 also ranks 13th nationally in the 200m.

L’Nya Carpenter qualified for the meet in the triple jump with her 44th ranking and will be joined by AAC Freshman of the Year Jared Harrell in the men’s competition who ranks 47th in the region.

The Pirates will also be sending a pair of athletes in the discus with Rebekah Bergquist and Logan Carroll ranked 38th and 47th, respectively.

Naadiya Faison qualifies with her 25th regional seed in the shot put while Jasmine Jenkins and Ansley Frady rank 33rd and 39th in the hammer and javelin.

2023 ECU East Preliminary Qualifiers
Men
Royal Burris – 100m, 12th, 10.11 | 200m, 7th, 20.20
Jared Harrell – Triple Jump, 47th, 15.25m
Logan Carroll – Discus, 47th, 53.94m

Women
Melicia Mouzzon -100m, 12th, 11.21 | 200m, 42nd, 23.38
Naadiya Faison – Shot Put, 25th, 16.22m
Jasmine Jenkins – Hammer, 33rd, 60.06m
Rebekah Bergquist – Discus, 38th, 50.96m
Ansley Frady – Javelin, 39th, 46.13m
L’Nya Carpenter – Triple Jump, 44th, 12.69m