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NCAA East Regionals
May 28, 2004

Bennett Places 9th in Pole Vault; Stille Sets UD Record in 100m Hurdles in Season Finale

GAINESVILLE, FL -- University of Delaware junior Casey Bennett (right - Photo by Tim O'Dowd) placed tied for ninth in the pole vault and freshman Mandy Stille was sixth in her heat and 25th overall at the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field East Regionals Friday afternoon at the University of Florida's Percy Beard Track.

Bennett, a junior from Shelton, CT (Shelton High School), was one of 13 athletes who tied for ninth place with a leap of 12-4 in the pole vault. Princeton's Chelo Canino won the competition with a jump of 13-9 3/4. The top five finishers all advance to the NCAA Championships June 9-12 at the University of Texas-Austin.

Bennett hit the opening height of 3.61 meters and hit her second vault at 3.76 meters before missing three times at 3.91 meters. She

Stille, a freshman from Wilmington, DE (McKean High School), broke her own school record in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.34, breaking the standard of 14.42 she set earlier this season. Her time placed her sixth in her heat and 25th overall but did not place her in the top nine which qualified for the finals. Florida's Andrea Bliss had the meet's best time with a clocking of 13.05. Stille also placed 25th in the 100 meter hurdles back in March when she ran to a time of 14.71 at the Florida Relays on the same track.

Both Bennett and Stille became the first UD women's track and field athletes to compete at the NCAA Regionals and capped outstanding seasons.

Stille established school records in 100 meter hurdles (14.34); 4 x 100 meter relay (57.17), 4 x 400 meter relay (3:51.60), triple jump (38-9 3/4), and heptathlon (4,853) and set school freshman records in the triple jump (38-9 3/4), heptathlon (4,853), 100 meter hurdles (14.34), and 400 meter hurdles (1:04.07).

Bennett has won the pole vault at nine different meets during the indoor and outdoor season and placed 11th at the ECAC championships outdoors and 14th at the ECAC championships indoors. She holds the UD pole vault records both indoors (12-6) and outdoors (12-6) and is a Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American candidate.

 

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