Day 1 Results

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Norfolk State first-year sophomore Champagne Bell placed 10th out of 48 competitors on Thursday in the women's long jump at the NCAA East Region track meet hosted by Indiana University, punching her ticket to the national meet next month in Iowa.

Bell's first jump was her best, as she leapt 6.10 meters (20 feet, 0.25 inches). Her jump was just good enough to help keep her in the top 12, thus earning her a spot at the NCAA National Outdoor Track & Field Championship in June hosted by Drake University.

Bell and the other 11 top long jumpers from the East preliminary round will compete for national honors next month against the top 12 finishers from this weekend's West preliminary round. Bell is the first Spartan woman to qualify for the outdoor nationals since All-American long jumper Tianna Goldring, who placed fourth at the national meet in 2004.

In other events Thursday, senior sprinter Shanneka Claiborne advanced in the qualifying heats of the women's 100 meters. Claiborne ran a time of 11.71 seconds, placing her 22nd out of the 46 athletes who competed. She will compete in the quarterfinal round of the 100 and the qualifying round of the 200 meters on Friday.

Bell also competed in the 400 meters Thursday, finishing 47th in 58.82 seconds.

Thursday's qualifying rounds cut the field in each running event to 24 runners. Claiborne must finish in the top 12 in Friday's national quarterfinal round to earn a trip to national meet next month.