TF2k23

At the end of last month Elena Kulichenko and Sanaa Barnes cruised through the high jump competition at the East First Round to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

On May 27, in Jacksonville, Florida, the two jumpers from Georgia and Auburn respectively were perfect in a combined five jumps leading a pack of 12 qualifiers who will be joining them in Austin, Texas, June 7-10 at the NCAA meet.

Both competitors passed the opening height of 1.67 as Barnes joined in at 1.72. Kulichenko started at 1.77 and the two finished their perfect day at 1.82. Prior to the East First Round, Kulichenko earned a silver medal at the SEC Championships where she finished at 1.88. Over her career the Russian has also earned a silver medal at this year's indoor SEC meet and has competed at the NCAA Championships on three occasions. At the 2022 indoor NCAA meet she placed eighth, while improving to a fourth place finish this season. Last outdoor season she also placed 11th at the NCAA Championships in the high jump.

Barnes returns to the outdoor championship meet for the fourth straight season. Prior to this season, Barnes competed for Villanova where she was a three-time Big East champ. In her past efforts, Barnes has fared well at the outdoor championships placing sixth in 2019 and 2021 before finishing fourth in 2022.

East First Round High Jump Qualifiers

Elena Kulichenko, Georgia

Sanaa Barnes, Auburn

Taylor Beard, Cincinnati

Charity Griffith, Ball State

Roschell Clayton, Villanova

Kristi Snyman, Jacksonville

Annika Kinley, Cincinnati

Morgan Smalls, LSU

Meghan Fletcher, Murray State

Claire Bryant, Florida

Chineye Agina, Duke

Madison Schmidt, Notre Dame

Long, Sears pace talented crop of NCAA qualifying sprinters

On May 27, McKenzie Long ran a 100 meters time of 11 seconds flat at the East First Round in Jacksonville, Florida. The Ole Miss record holder finished ahead of Tennessee's Jacious Sears who ran a time of 11.04. The two speedsters have crossed paths multiple times in 2023. They had most recently squared off at the SEC Championships where Sears won the gold with a time of 10.96 and Long took home the bronze medal at 11.04.

Long and Sears also had the top two fastest times in the 200 meters at the East First Round. After finishing at 22.46 in the 200, Long, the SEC 200 meters champ edged Sears out at 22.48 for the leading spot just as she did at the conference championship meet.

Both champions have made major impacts after transferring from ACC programs. Long previously competed at North Carolina State where she never previously medaled at the conference championships meet or qualified for the NCAA Championships. Sears' brightest moment at Miami was winning the 60 meters gold during the 2022 indoor season. She is also making her first appearance at the NCAA Championships.

East First Round 100 Meters Qualifiers

McKenzie Long, Ole Miss

Jacious Sears, Tennessee

Yanique Dayle, Ohio State

Dajaz Defrand, Florida State

Nya Bussey, Ohio State

Anthaya Charlton, Kentucky

Kaila Jackson, Georgia

Kynnedy Flannel, Florida

Kamaya Debose-Epps, Mississippi State

Brandee Presley, Georgia

Leah Bertrand, Ohio State

Rayniah Jones, UCF

East First Round 200 Meters Qualifiers

McKenzie Long, Ole Miss

Jacious Sears, Tennessee

Talitha Diggs, Florida

Yanique Dayle, Ohio State

Kaila Jackson, Georgia

Kynnedy Flannel, Florida

Favour Ofili, LSU

Jayla Jamison, South Carolina

Karimah Davis, Kentucky

Kamaya Debose-Epps, Mississippi State

Nya Bussey, Ohio State

Brianna Lyston, LSU