FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5-17-01

Garland Qualifies For NCAA Division II Outdoor Track Championships

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Senior Nikki Garland has been selected to compete at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 24-26 in Edwardsville, Ill., at Ralph Korte Stadium on the campus of SIU Edwardsville.

Garland, a 1999 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track All-America honoree in the 800 meters for the Pirates, qualified for this year's 800 meters with a time of 2:12.71, attained at the Florida State Relays in February. Last season at the NCAA Championships, Garland did not advance out of her second heat of the 800 meters, finishing seventh in Heat 2 in a time of 2:13.98.

This year, Garland will be in the third heat among the 20 invited competitors. The top two finishers in each of the three heats, plus the next three best times, advance to the final. The preliminaries are scheduled for Friday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. The finals will be at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 26.

Garland became AASU's first track and field All-America in 1999, finishing seventh in the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.56. The trip marks the third to the NCAA Championships for Garland, a senior and four-time All-Peach Belt Conference and all-South Region runner in cross country for the Lady Pirates.

- Pirates -