May 27, 2009

Three Penguins Set to Compete at NCAA Mideast Regionals in Louisville

    Youngstown -- Three members of the Youngstown State track and field program will compete to qualify for nationals at the NCAA Mideast Regional this weekend in Louisville.
    Throwers Joe Lahmon and Aaron Merrill and distance runner Kiplangat Tisia all hit the regional automatic qualifying standard to compete at the meet.
    The top five finishers in each event automatically earn an entry to the NCAA National Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. which begins on June 11.
    Merrill (Leetonia, Ohio) will be making his third trip to regionals in the shot. Merrill qualified as a freshman in 2006 and again in 2008 as a redshirt sophomore. As a freshman he finished in 22nd and last season claimed in 15th. Entering the meet, Merrill is ranked 11th in the field and 39th nationally with a personal-best and school record distance of 58-0 3/4.
    Lahmon (Mount Vernon, Ohio) will return to the regional meet for the second time in the hammer throw. Last season he finished in 17th with a throw of 190-0. Currently, Lahmon ranks 21st in the field with a distance of 192-3 3/4.   

    Freshman Kiplangat Tisia (Koiybey, Kenya) is making his regional debut in the 3,000m steeplechase. Tisia broke the school record in the event with a time of 8:49.25. The time ranks seventh in the field, 19th nationally and is the fastest time freshman time in the nation.
    Merrill will be the first student-athlete from YSU to compete with the shot put beginning Friday at 2:30 p.m., EST. Full coverage of the meet can be found at UofLSports and live results will be available throughout the meet at deltatiming.com.