Ruzevic Heads to NCAA National Championship Meet
Jun 9, 2010 | Track & Field
June 9, 2010
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NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane track and field squad will be represented by javelin thrower Ana Ruzevic at this weekend's NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships. The sophomore qualified last weekend with a fifth place finish in at the NCAA East Regional and posted a season-best toss of 48.29-meters to qualify for the National Championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon this weekend.
"I know that Ana is very excited to get out there," said Peterson. "She is ready to test her skills and abilities against the top javelin throwers in the NCAA. We couldn't be more proud of her representing our program, the athletic department and our university at the National Meet."
At the regional meet, Ruzevic fouled on her first two attempts of the trials, before uncorking a then-season-best toss of 47.80 to advance to the semifinals. The Split, Croatia native recorded a 45.75-meter throw in her first throw of the semifinals and followed that up with the 48.29-meter toss to finish fifth overall at the East Regional and enters the NCAA National Championship Meet in Eugene, Oregon as the 17th ranked competitor.
Overall, the sophomore is the 13th Green Wave track and field athlete to compete at the Outdoor National Championships - sixth to compete in a field event - and Tulane will now have competed in 22 events at the championships (eight field events, one relay and 13 running). Ruzevic is the fourth Green Wave javelin competitor to advance to the National meet, joining Catherine Betz (2001), Jelena Jurlina (2003 and 2004) and Helmi Leppanen (2002). Her throw of 48.29-meters is a career-best and ranks among the top individual performances in school history.
"Ana has had a very consistent year in competition, up until her regional competition, but was still not close to where her expectations were," said Tulane head coach Eric Peterson. "After watching her foul in her first two attempts in one of the biggest meets she has been in and to then come through with a huge seasonal-best performance in a pressure situation, that is what makes (our staff) so excited. To watch the development of a young athlete and see them succeed is truly rewarding."
Just a sophomore, Ruzevic has placed her named among the best javelin competitors in school history and owns the top eight marks of the 2010 outdoor season. Ruzevic won the first three meets that she competed in this season, taking the Louisiana Classics meet on March 20 (44.80-meters), winning USA/ULL Tri Meet on March 27 (41.98) and then grabbing the individual crown at the Seminole Invitational on April 9 (45.05).
On the season, six of her eight tosses were longer than 44-meters and just one throw failed to reach the 40-meter mark. She won four individual titles during the season, taking the Mississippi Open title later in the year, before posting a fourth place showing at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships.
Ruzevic will compete on the final day (June 12) at the NCAA National Championships, competing at 7:30 a.m. Central Time at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. The National Championship meet will begin on Wednesday, June 9th and conclude on Saturday, June 12.
--TulaneGreenWave.com--
Players Mentioned
