The SMU track & field team had a successful day one of action at the 2004 NCAA Midwest Regional Championship in College Station, Texas as seven Mustangs qualified for NCAA Championship competition.

Highlighting the competition Friday was sophomore Jerome Bortoluzzi who won the men's hammer throw competition with a toss of 66.35m. Pony freshman Oleksandr Lutsenko finished runner-up to Bortoluzzi in the hammer throw with a mark of 63.20m in the event. Lutsenko will join Bortoluzzi in the event at the NCAA Championship.

Teammate Hannes Hopley nearly duplicated the feat in the shot put, as the South African native finished runner-up with a recorded throw of 19.50m. Hopley's mark was a season best for the Mustang junior as well as a new career best mark in the event. Freshman Mikael Hanany placed third in the high jump competition recording a mark of 2.19m. Junior teammate Einar Hjartarson finished fifth in the same event with a mark of 2.16m. The SMU men are leading the competition after day one with 32.75 points. Minnesota is a distant second with 18.25 points totaled after day one action.

On the women's side, senior LaVada Hill placed third in the long jump competition with a mark of 6.57m, moving the Lufkin, Texas native to NCAA Championship competition in two weeks. Senior teammate Eva Charfreitagova finished fifth in the hammer throw, advancing to NCAA Championship competition with a mark of 56.75m.

In Friday's preliminary action, SMU senior Lukas Musil advanced to Saturday's final heat in the 800m with a time of 1:49.20. Musil finished third in Friday's heat. Josef Rous advanced as well to Saturday's final heat in the 400m hurdles, recording a time of 51.89 on Friday, finishing ninth in the prelim race.

The NCAA Championship will be held June 9-12 at Meyers Stadium in Austin, Texas.

REGIONAL RESULTS