Lehigh University Athletics
Uqdah, Tutunjian head to N.C. for regional champ.
5/26/2010 4:54:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A pair of Lehigh student-athletes will be joined by nearly 2,500 others at the NCAA Track and Field East Region championship in Greensboro, North Carolina on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University. Senior Khalil Uqdah (pole vault) and sophomore Steve Tutunjian (triple jump), who was a late addition, will begin competition on Thursday, May 27 with action wrapping up on Saturday, May 29. The competition will take place at Irwin R. Belk Track at Aggie Stadium beginning at 11:00 each morning.
Fresh off a Patriot League and IC4A championship in the last four weeks, Uqdah enters this weekend with high expectations. The Baltimore native is currently ranked 12th in the East region with his vault of 17’4 ½” at the Penn Relays in late April. This marks the third consecutive year in which Uqdah will compete at the East Region championship and head coach Matt Utesch says the senior is more than ready. “I think Khalil went into this competition the last two years hoping to advance, while this time around he is expecting to move onto nationals.” He continued, “He’s been doing really well of late, he’s had a number of great training sessions and I know he’s ready to get going. He knows what to expect, he’s been here before; this is his time.”
Uqdah was last in action on May 14 when he captured his second IC4A pole vault title in the last three years with a vault of 17’1” to defeat competitors from the likes of UConn, Penn, Cornell, Princeton, Yale and Harvard. The school record holder in the indoor and outdoor pole vault, Uqdah has a pair of IC4A championships along with two Patriot League titles to his credit as well as the Patriot League indoor record in the event.
Utesch received a call late Monday evening and to his surprise found out that Tutunjian was added to the competition. “This is just an awesome opportunity for Steve,” Utesch explained. “He has actually been working out with Khalil because he knew there was an outside shot he could get in, so he’s excited for the opportunity and more importantly he’s ready for it.”
At the IC4A championship Tutunjian had a very solid showing as he placed 14th out of more than 30 competitors with a leap of 48’0”. He is currently ranked 55th in the East Region with his jump of 49’3 ¾” at the Patriot League outdoor championship, which earned him a spot on the 2010 All-Patriot League Teams.
There are 48 competitors in each event at the regional championships. The top-12 finishers in each event will then join the top-12 finishers from the West Region in early June at the 2010 Track and Field National championship in Eugene, Oregon. The West Region championship is being held in Austin, Texas on the campus of the University of Texas.
“Khalil and Steve are amped and ready to go,” Utesch commented. “They’re very excited about the opportunity and looking forward to what lies ahead. I’d like to thank the Lehigh Athletics Department for allowing us to bring these two young men to a tremendous event like this.”
The Lehigh contingent made its way down to North Carolina on Tuesday, with Wednesday slated to be a practice day. “We’ll head over to the track and get some work done with Khalil,” Utesch explained. “Steve will get in a light workout as well, and then it’s show time for Khalil on Thursday. On Friday, Steve will go through his pre-meet workout and then he’ll compete on Saturday.”
Uqdah will compete first for the Mountain Hawks with the pole vault competition slated to begin at 4:00 on Thursday afternoon, while Tutunjian will begin his segment of the weekend at noon on Saturday.
