Track and Field Performers Set For NCAA East Regionals

5/25/06 -- Senior All-American Bryan Steele (Gaithersburg, Md.) headlines a group of Long Island University track and field athletes that will compete at the NCAA East Regional Track and Field Championship this weekend on the campus of North Carolina A&T.

Steele will try to better his third-place finish from a year ago in the 400-meter hurdles. Fellow classmate Michael Hillian (Voorhies, N.J.) will take part in the 400-meter dash. Steele and Hillian are expected to be part of both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams that are also scheduled to run.

On the women's side, sophomore Aisha Thomas (Jefferson City, Mo.), the 2006 Northeast Conference Most Outstanding Track Performer, will run in the 100-meter dash and both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. Thomas finished first in the 100-meter dash and was a member of the first-place 4x100-meter relay team at the NEC Championships on May 7.

Senior Jaimie Smith (Burtonsville, Md.) is the final Blackbird running in an individual event, the 800-meter run, and will also run with the 4x400-meter relay team.

List of Events and Participants

Men's Events:
400-Meter Dash - Michael Hillian
400-Meter Hurdles - Bryan Steele
4x100-Meter Relay - Hillian, Steele, Jeremy Bascom, Rodney Daniel
Alternate: Shavar Clarke
4x400-Meter Relay - Hillian, Steele, Roshawn Aberdeen, Jabari Bush
Alternate: Leslie Tyrell

Women's Events:
100-Meter Dash - Aisha Thomas
800-Meter Run - Jaimie Smith
4x100-Meter Relay - Thomas, Eva Terry, Tavia Burke, Chioma Ukpai
Alternate: Crista Strachan
4x400-Meter Relay - Thomas, Smith, Leslie Conley, Shaneqwa Warren
Alternate: Crystal Strachan