GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina track and field will send three Pirates to Eugene, Ore., this week to compete in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships beginning on Wednesday, June 5 and concluding Saturday, June 8. Kayla Padgett and Lauren Lubarski will compete on the first day of competition, while Cameron Hudson will see action on the second.
"We are very excited about having three student-athletes at the NCAA National Championships," Head Coach Curt Kraft said. "It's one thing to just get here and be satisfied, but another to try and accomplish the higher goal of moving up. We have two freshmen and a sophomore competing this week, so I know they will be eager to get out there and compete. If Cameron [Hudson], Lauren [Lubarski], and Kayla [Padgett] do what we know they are capable of, they will be alright. There are a lot of student-athletes who would love to be in their shoes and competing here this week."
Padgett, a sophomore thrower, qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the women's hammer throw after tallying a career-best mark of 58.29m (191-03.00) to earn an 11th-place finish at the NCAA East Regional. Her toss was also good for fourth place in the ECU outdoor record book. Padgett will take the field on Wednesday, June 5, at 1:30 p.m.
Lubarski secured her spot at Nationals after recording a qualifying mark of 47.01m (154-03.00) for a 12th-place finish in the women's javelin throw at the NCAA East Regional. The freshman from Hermitage, Pa., holds the ECU school record mark in the javelin after registering a mark of 48.32m (158-06.00) at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships for a second place finish. Lubarski will compete on Wednesday, June 5, at 5:15 p.m.
Rounding out the Pirate representatives at the NCAA Outdoor Championships is Hudson, a freshman from Charlotte, N.C. Hudson recorded a qualifying mark of 7.35m (24-01.50) in the men's long jump which was good for 12th in the event at the NCAA East Regional. Hudson's career-best mark in the long jump came at the Penn Relays when he won the event with a mark of 7.61m (24-11.75). He currently ranks second in the ECU outdoor record book. Hudson will participate in the long jump on Thursday, June 6, at 4:30 p.m.
