The UCSD representatives who qualified for the competition are senior javelin thrower Nick Howe, junior javelin thrower Jessica Miklaski, senior triple jumper Ka Wai Ng, along with the 400m relay team of senior Jackie Rose, junior Deyna Roberson, sophomore Lauren Irish and freshman Sabrina Pimentel.
UCSD’s seven representatives will join a pool of 310 men and 310 women to compete in the NCAA Championships at the Neta and Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl in Pueblo, Colorado.
Senior Thrower: Nick Howe
The UCSD Track & Field captain will look to capture his third NCAA Division II National title this week in Colorado.
“I am very honored to be here for another go around,” Howe said. “It seems like I was just at this meet as a little freshman and now I’m sitting on top of the pack.”
Howe — four-time CCAA Champion in the javelin — took home his first title as a sophomore, breaking the school record with a throw of 225’. Howe followed up with another title in 2011 to take his second title with his longest throw-to-date at 231.3’.
Howe will be throwing this Saturday, May 26 at 11:15 a.m.
“I am the first thrower in the first flight so if I can come out and bomb a throw there is a huge opportunity for me to take control of the meet and just shut down my competition,” Howe said. “If I don’t there are a lot of talented guys who could hit a throw and make a battle of it. Either way, I’m here to win and take home a big mark.”
Senior Sprinter: Jackie Rose
UCSD has a strong tradition of exceptional female sprinters. This season, senior Jackie Rose takes over the mantle as UCSD’s fastest female.
Rose, who competed at the NCAAs as a sophomore as part of the 4×400 meter team alongside Sri Lankan Olympian Christine Merrill, will be making her second ever appearance.
Rose is the only Triton to have qualified for multiple events at the meet — competing in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m competitions.
Rose will anchor the 4x400m team, who ran their best race at the Cal/Nevada Championships, clocking in at 3:49.89.
“I want to perform very well, but also really enjoy the last weekend I have of being a track athlete,” Rose said. “I really want it to be a good closing chapter to this part of my life. But really, I do want to win the 400m, take top three in the 200m, and win the 4x400m. I’m here to win.”
Junior Thrower: Jessica Miklaski
All-American Jessica Miklaski will be making her second appearance at the NCAA Division II Championships, where she will look to improve on last season’s sixth place finish in the javelin event.
In the past two years, the San Diego native took back-to-back second place finishes at the CCAA Championships.
Miklaski’s longest throw to date is 138’1”.
“It would be great to get in the top three,” Miklaski said. “I guess its kinda cool to come in the same seed as last year, so there’s no pressure and I’m comfortable in familiar territory.”
Senior Triple Jumper: Ka Wai Ng
The Hong Kong national broke the school record in his first season of NCAA competition last season, but not in the triple jump, in the 100m — posting a 10.74 time in the CCAA Championships.
This season, Ng has broken the school record on at least two occasions this season. His furthest mark to date is 50’5.5”, a jump which won him the CCAA Championship.
“My goal is to get into the top three,” Ng said. “I want to hit 52’, which might get me first, but the goal is to get top three. The other guys are all on my level, all around a foot of each other. They may be a bit better, but it all comes down to who hits a jump on Saturday.”
