Fraser Qualifies for NCAA National Championships
5/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | TRACK AND FIELD
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Melissa Fraser qualified for the NCAA National Championships in the javelin throw on Saturday as the women’s and men’s track and field teams closed out the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Fraser improved her own school record and became the first Blue Demon since 2004 to qualify for a National Championship.
Fraser threw the javelin 49.52m as she took third place out of 14 competitors. She broke her own DePaul record of 48.34m while punching a ticket to the National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. In addition to becoming DePaul’s first female thrower to qualify for NCAA Nationals, Fraser is the first Blue Demon to earn a bid since Erin Moffett ran the 10,000m race in 2004. By placing within the top-eight for her event, Fraser earned a spot on the NCAA Mideast All-Region Team.
Kara Patterson of Purdue won the event with a mark of 53.22m, while Southern Mississippi’s Hana Prudilova placed second with a 50.06m throw.
Brad Millar represented DePaul in the men’s hammer throw. The two-time BIG EAST Champion fouled in all three attempts. Auburn’s Cory Martin won the event with a mark of 73.11m.
The 2008 NCAA National Championships run June 11-14 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.