June 12, 2006

NCAA Participants
Women's Track & Field

The 49ers had a historic run at the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships last week, with all six of Charlotte's entries finishing among the top 25 in the nation.

Leading the way were juniors Shareese Woods and Courtney Patterson, who both earned All-American awards. It was the first time ever that Charlotte has had multiple All-Americans of the same gender in the same season.

Woods advanced to the 200-meter national championship race, aired live on CBS, and finished sixth among heady competition. She also posted a 13th-place finish in the 100-meter dash, missing out on All-American status in that race by just once place. Patterson earned her first-ever All-American award by finishing 11th nationally in the 100-meter dash during the semifinals.

Both Patterson and Woods also ran with freshmen Lamarra Currie and Pat Springs on the 4x100-meter relay, the first-ever relay team to advance to the NCAA Championships. That foursome broke the school's record in the preliminary round, running 44.44 to finish 13th in the nation.

On the distance side, Cassie Ficken closed out a brilliant collegiate career by advancing to the finals of the 5,000-meter run. She ultimately finished 13th in the nation in her third NCAA appearance in the last two years. Junior Tsehaye Dagnachew, making her first NCAA trip, was 25th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

For their efforts this season, the coaching staff was rewarded as well. Head coach Robert Olesen was named USTFCCCA Southeast District Outdoor Coach of the Year, while associate head coach Tim Hall earned East Region sprints/hurdles Assistant Coach of the Year, putting him among the top four sprints coaches in the nation this outdoor season.