College Track and Field
Rider at NCAA Regional
GREENSBORO, N.C.?Senior Kelly Kajunski (Glenmore, Pa./Downington East) and junior Alicia Price (Eastern/Voorhees) of the Rider University track and field team competed at the NCAA Division I Track and Field East Regional, hosted by N.C. A&T at Irwin Belk Track.
On Saturday with a height of 5'7", Kajunski finished her collegiate career with a 16th place finish in the high jump out of 26 participants.
"Kelly didn't have a good jump today," said head coach Bob Hamer. "She cleared the opening height of 5'7" but could not clear the next level (5'8.5"). Her second attempt was really a good effort but she clipped the bar with her heal on the way down. It was unfortunate that she was a little off today."
Karin Knight from Connecticut won the competition with a height of 6'0.5".
Kajunski qualified for the NCAA Regional by winning the high jump at Princeton's Larry Ellis Invitational with a height of 5'8.75".
An eight-time All-East Regional performer, this was Kajunski's third year in a row at the NCAA East Regional.
As a junior, Kajunski finished 11th clearing a height of 5'7.25" and as a sophomore was seventh with a height of 5'9.25" to become Rider's first woman All-Regional (top eight) place winner.
As a junior at the MAAC Championship Meet, Kajunski was responsible for 24 team points, leading Rider to a runner-up finish and was named the Most Outstanding Female Field Performer of the Meet.
Seeded 21st in the hammer throw, Price finished 18th on Friday with a distance of 155'4" (47.35m). "Alicia did well," said Hamer. "She competed admirably. She didn't throw as well as she wanted but considering this was her first time in this type of competition, she did well. She gained a lot of valuable experience going into next season."
At the Eastern College Athletic Conference championships last week, Price was 15th in the hammer with a distance of 50.72m.
Price was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion in the hammer (50.76m) which qualified her for the NCAA Regional.
"Alicia competed at a high level on a consistent basis," Hamer added. "She did a lot for us this year, winning one indoor MAAC championship (weight throw) and two outdoor titles (hammer and shot put). She has been steady and has emerged as a leader."
"Having multiple athletes qualify for the NCAA Regional is huge for our team," said Hamer. "Alicia and Kelly's teammates see what they have accomplished and say ?I can also do that'. We portray that ?Why can't I' attitude in practice everyday and that is helping our athletes develop into the best that they can possibly be. Alicia, when she came to Rider wasn't ready to compete at this level and now she is. She has worked hard and her development shows that effort."
"Kelly has had a tremendous career at Rider and made a lot of contributions to the program," Hamer added. "She stepped up and performed well in every big meet that we had and that will be the lasting impression that Kelly left on me. Being a three-time NCAA Regional qualifier, an All-East performer (eight times) and a multiple Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Eastern College Athletic Conference champion, Kelly left her mark on the program."
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