May 7, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... George Mason University will serve as the host institution for the first-ever NCAA East Regional Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be held Friday, May 30 through Saturday, May 31 at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, VA. Ohio State, Nebraska and Stanford will host the remaining three regional championships on the same days.

To qualify for regional competition, athletes must meet a preset standard or win the event at a conference championship. With the addition of the regional meet, the NCAA has increased postseason participation for track & field athletes across the nation. The top five finishers in individual events and the top three relays, in addition to six "wild card" qualifiers in each event across the four regions, will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Sacramento State University from June 11-14. The field for the Championships increases 40 percent to at least 1,088 athletes and will feature the largest number of athletes assembled for an NCAA championship event.

The east region is the largest of the four and includes 112 Division I women's programs, including defending outdoor national champion South Carolina, and 110 men's programs. Florida and North Carolina's women's teams also finished in the top 10 at last year's NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, as did the men's teams from Clemson, Florida and South Carolina.

Individual defending national champions that will compete in the East Regional include six-time All-American junior Alice Schmidt of North Carolina (800 meters), South Carolina sophomore Lashinda Demus (400-meter hurdles), two-time outdoor national champion junior Otukile Lekote of South Carolina (800 meters) and Florida junior Rickey Harris (400-meter hurdles).

George Mason has 14 athletes qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championships - seven athletes in eight events on each the men's and women's teams. In his first year with the Patriots, sophomore Richard Phillips (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Ardenne/Abilene Christian) leads the men's team having qualified in the 200 meters, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and as part of both the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays. Sophomore Sheena Davidson (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) has qualified in a team-high four events for the women - the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles individually and as part of the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays.

Tickets go on sale May 8 through the George Mason Athletic Ticket Office (703-993-3270). Single-day general admission passes are $15 for adults and $7 for youth, seniors and students, while single-day VIP/finish line passes are $25 for adults and $10 for youth, seniors and students. Two-day general admission passes are $25 for adults and $10 for youth, seniors and students, while two-day VIP/finish line passes are $50 for adults and $20 for youth, seniors and students.

Click here for more information on the NCAA East Regional Outdoor Track & Field Championships.