ORONO, Maine – In hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships, Alice Barnsdale, Rachael Bergeron and Adam Lufkin will represent the University of Maine track and field teams at the NCAA East Preliminary meet in Tampa from May 24-26 at the University of South Florida Track Stadium.
 
The three Black Bears selections were based on the national descending order list of performances during the 2018 outdoor track and field season. The top 48 declared athletes in each event and the top 24 relays earn spots at the NCAA East Preliminary in Tampa or the NCAA West Preliminary in Sacramento.
 
Lufkin is set to compete in the discus throw, which takes place on Friday at 8:45 a.m. The native of Brewer was selected to the preliminary round with his top-throw of 52.28m at the America East Championships. He took home the America East title in the event, and is only is only 1.67 meters away from Justin Gagne's school-record throw of 53.95m set in 2014.
 
Bergeron and Barnsdale will both compete in the hammer throw on Saturday at 8:45 a.m. Bergeron, the America East and New England Champion in the hammer, recorded her best throw of her career at the conference meet. Her mark of 61.07m bested the competition in Baltimore, ranking 25^th in the East this season and is only two centimeters away from Robyn McFetters' school-record throw of 61.09m in 2016.
 
Just a freshman, Barnsdale qualified for the preliminary round with a toss of 59.35m at the UCF Black and Gold Challenge on March 16^th. The throw ranks 33^rd in the East region this season. She followed Bergeron with a throw of 56.19 for second-place at America Easts. Her mark in Orlando ranks third-best in program history.
 
All competitors will get three throws at the preliminary rounds, with the top 12 placers of the East and West preliminaries advancing to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon from June 6-9.
 
Fans can watch the NCAA East Preliminary Round with a paid subscription to  FloTrack. Live results are available here. Stay tuned to GoBlackBears.com for the latest news and updates.
 
-UMaine-