College Outdoor Track & Field
Rider Sending Two to NCAA East 1st/2nd Round Meet
LAWRENCEVILLE--Two members of the Rider University outdoor track and field team, graduate student Michael Soroko (Kinnelon) and junior James Burroughs (West Orange) will compete at the NCAA East 1st/2nd Round meet, hosted by the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, May 24-26.
Burroughs, a two-time NCAA East meet qualifier, will compete in the 400 meter hurdles on Thursday, May 24 at 4:30pm.
Burroughs qualified in the 400 meter hurdles with a career-best time of 52.39, tying the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship record while winning MAAC gold at the beginning of May.
Last season as a sophomore, Burroughs ran 53.45 at the NCAA East meet, finishing 38th.
Soroko, also a two-time NCAA East meet qualifier, will compete at 8:50pm on Friday, May 25 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
Soroko qualified for the steeplechase with a time of 8:58.12, earning All-East honors at the IC4A championships in mid May.
Last season as a senior, Soroko was 33rd in the steeplechase at the NCAA East meet, running 9:08.55.
Soroko's career-best in the steeplechase is 8:49.63, set at the 2011 IC4A championships.
The top 12 in the East and top 12 in the West meet (Austin, Texas) advance to the NCAA Championships.
The 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships take place in Des Moines, Iowa, June 6-9.
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