FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – On the first of two days at the 2024 NCAA West First Round held at John McDonnell Field, the Fresno State women's track & field team already matched its number of individuals sent to a single championship in the modern format. Three Bulldogs—Amelia DiPaola, Harriette Mortlock, and Jordyn Bryant—punched their tickets to Eugene, Oregon in two weeks to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
HOW IT HAPPENED
DiPaola was the first Bulldog to earn her spot at nationals. In the first women's event of the week, the hammer, the senior waited until her final throw. Outside of the Top 12, DiPaola needed to move up on her final attempt. Throwing 14th out of 16 in the final flight, she landed a toss of 60.39m/198-1, finishing the competition in 12th to earn the final qualifying spot.
In Fresno State's second event of the day, Mortlock wasted no time before being left to sit and wait. On her first attempt in the second of three flights, the sophomore landed a more than two-meter personal best with a mark of 52.11m/170-11. The mark held the top spot through the second flight but she was left to sit through 48 more throws. Only nine of the final 16 competitors passed the Bulldog as she finished 10thoverall.
Fresno State's final qualifier came in the shot put. Throwing fifth in the second of four flights, Bryant used her final attempt to toss a near one-meter personal best at 17.14m/56-2.75. The Bulldog was forced to sit through 79 more throws before the end of the competition. Only eight would pass her, seven of which came from the final flight.
MOVING ON
In the 400 meters, Ceonna Pipion needed to wait, but qualified for Saturday's quarterfinal based on time. The senior crossed the line in 52.45, just one one-hundredth of a second outside of the third automatic qualifying spot in her heat. Pipion's time though was the fastest of the non-automatic qualifiers, safely putting her inside the final six athletes to qualify based on time.
NOTES
Since the start of the two-region qualifying format, Fresno State's most entries to a single NCAA Championships was three. The Bulldogs matched that number on Thursday.
Amelia DiPaola is the first Bulldog hammer thrower to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Megan McKee in 2014.
Harriette Mortlock is the first Bulldog to qualify for the championships in the javelin since Vanja Spaic in 2021.
Mortlock jumped from No. 9 to No. 3 on the program's all-time list
Jordyn Bryant is the first Bulldog to qualify for the championships in the shot put since Rosario Sanchez in 2010.
Bryant moved from No. 4 to No. 2 on the program's all-time list.
UP NEXT
On Saturday, five Bulldogs will look to qualify for the NCAA Championships as individuals, along with the Bulldogs' 4x400 relay team. The group of individuals includes Cierra Jackson (discus), Rachela Pace (triple jump), Liz Tarczy (high jump), Bryant (discus) and Pipion (400m).