March 8, 2009

PHILADELPHIA - Christa Plummer ran an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the 5K and Korey Edwards won gold in the 1,000 meters to lead the Explorers on day one of the ECAC/IC4A Championships in Boston.

Edwards placed first out of 26 runners with a 2:24.63 time to qualify for tomorrow's 1,000 meter final. His time was just .21 off of the school record of 2:24.32.

Plummer followed up her Atlantic 10 title with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark by running a 16:31.21, her best of the season. She placed sixth out of 18 runners in the field.

Also qualifying for tomorrow's final was the men's distance medley relay squad. The team - Robert Ricketts, Andrew Maxwell, Colin Barrett and Sean Ward - combined for a 10:00.70 time. They placed first in their heat on a Harvard disqualification and fifth overall out of 33 teams.

Steven Rendall also qualified for the final in the 55 meter hurdles. He finished third in his heat, 13th overall out of 30, with a 7.61 mark.

Sean Mallon and Trevon Rainford competed in the mile run preliminary and just missed qualifying for the final. Mallon ran a 4:10.09 for 12th place and Rainford ran 4:12.52 for 18th.

Andrew Maxwell ran 49.08 in the 400 meter dash to finish 18th out of 27th.

The 4x800 meter relay team of Mallon, David Laratta, Terence McPeak and Rainford also just missed tomorrow's final. The top nine teams advance, but the Explorers finished 10th with a time of 7:40.75.

On the women's side, Meaghan Hobson was in action in the 800 meter run. She finished 14th out of 18 in the preliminary with a 2:12.50 mark.

The Explorers return to action on Sunday for day two of the ECAC/IC4A Championships.