Elon Track and Field to Send Trio to NCAA East Prelims

ELON, N.C. – Three members of the Elon University women’s track and field team is set to represent the Phoenix at the 2021 NCAA East Preliminary round in Jacksonville, Fla., as Maria Ahm, Melissa Anastasakis and Scolasticah Kemei are set to race at the regional meet, which runs from May 26-29.

Complete Entries (Women)Meet Info

Ahm will make her NCAA regional debut racing in the 10,000-meters. The sophomore heads to the preliminary round ranked 18th in the event in the East Region with her school-record time of 33:43.82 that she set at the Raleigh Relays. Ahm will also be making her second overall appearance at an NCAA event this academic year after becoming the first Elon female to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships earlier this spring. Ahm also took home the Colonial Athletic Association title in the 5,000-meters at the league’s outdoor championship meet.

Anastasakis is back for her third trip to the East preliminary meet as the Hillsdale, Ontario., native is scheduled to compete in the 1,500-meters as she enters as No. 36 in the region. The graduate student took the CAA title in the 1,500-meters a few weeks ago at the league championships. It was the third straight league title in the event for Anastasakis, who qualified to the regional meet this year on her season-best time of 4:21.33 that she also set at the Raleigh Relays.

Kemei joins Ahm in making her first-ever appearance at the NCAA East regional meet as the Eldoret, Kenya, native is set to run in the 5,000-meters, ranking 29th on the East performance list in the race. Kemei set a school-record in the 5,000-meters last weekend at the Trials of Miles Night at the Track in Jersey City, N.J. Kemei clocked a time of 16:06.55 to win the event title. At the CAA Championships, Kemei was a two-time champion in the 10,000-meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase, earning the Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet.

The East Regional will be conducted at Hodges Stadium on the campus of North Florida. The meet will commence on Wednesday, May 26 and conclude on Saturday, May 29. The men are set to compete on May 26 and 28 while the women will compete on May 27 and May 29.