A pair of Ohio’s best athletes traveled to the University of Kentucky last weekend in the hopes of representing the program well.
Emma Ryan and Jordan Porter represented the Bobcats at the NCAA East Regional Championship. The event was a preliminary round for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will take place in Eugene, Oregon, from June 7-10.
The event served as a qualifier, with athletes who performed well enough advancing to the NCAA Championships. This was Ryan’s second consecutive season competing in the preliminary round, and it was Porter’s second time of her career.
Ryan competed in the javelin among a field of 48 throwers; the top 12 advanced to compete in Oregon. The javelin is perhaps Ryan’s best event. She posted seven top-5 finishes in the event during the outdoor season, with three of those finishes being first place ones.
Last season, Ryan placed No. 31 in the preliminary round, but this season she faltered a bit; during the preliminary round, Ryan placed No. 37 with a throw of 41.90 meters.
The javelin was one of Ryan’s best events during the season — she did well in the discus throw, too — but the shot put was Porter’s signature event.
Porter totaled seven top-5 finishes during the outdoor season in the event, and five of those were for first place. She competed in the shot put among a field of 47 throwers; the •top 12 advanced to compete in Oregon. Last season, she placed No. 38 in the event, but this year she improved. She placed No. 27 overall with a throw of 15.39 meters.
With Ryan and Porter not qualifying to compete in Oregon, this event marks the end of the season for the Bobcats.
