June 1, 1998

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Six Villanova Wildcats have qualified for individual events at the NCAA Track and Field Championships, held June 3-6, 1998, in Buffalo, N.Y. Representing the institution on the Main Line will be Kareem Archer, Jermaine Deans, Carmen Douma, Tamieka Grizzle, Ann McGranahan, and Charmaine Walker.

Archer, a senior from Plainfield, N.J., will make his final appearance in a Wildcat uniform in Buffalo. The hurdles specialist has already carved his own niche in Villanova track and field history, and will look to improve upon that even further. During his incredible career, Archer has won three-consecutive Big East Conference Outdoor 400m hurdle crowns, two IC4A Outdoor Championships in the event, and is a two-time All-American as well. He enters the national meet with the nation's third-best time (49.43), but has posted a personal-best mark of 48.80 in the event. He is also an automatic qualifier in the 110m hurdles (13.74) and is ranked seventh nationally entering nationals.

Jermaine Deans, a junior, has qualified for his first NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Jamaican native posted the nation's fourth-best mark in the long jump this season with a leap of 25-10 (7.87m). This season, he won the Big East outdoor crown in the long jump and finished second at the IC4A Championships to national leader Maurice Wignall of George Mason.

On the women's side, Carmen Douma has had an exceptional sophomore campaign, and will compete in the 1500m. Douma, the 1998 indoor national champion in the mile, posted a personal-best time of 4:18.94 in the 1500m, the nation's 10th fastest mark. Douma won the Big East and ECAC 1500m titles this season. All-American Tamieka Grizzle returns to the NCAA Championships with an automatic mark of 2:04.95 in the 800m, ranking ninth overall in the country, while freshman Ann McGranahan will try her hand at the 10,000m. The Big East Champion in the event, McGranahan's provisional time of 35:07.54 ranks 17th nationally. Another freshman, Charmaine Walker, has already reset the Villanova record in the 100m hurdles, won the Big East Outdoor title and captured the ECAC crown in only her first year. Her personal-best 13.15 in the event is 11th nationally this season.

1998 VILLANOVA NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE

Wednesday, June 3
6:40 p.m.   Men's 400m H    Semifinals
6:55 p.m.   Women's 800m    Semifinals
8:35 p.m.   Women's 10,000m FINALS

Thursday, June 4
6:00 p.m.   Women's 100m H  Trials
6:00 p.m.   Men's Long Jump FINALS
6:20 p.m.   Men's 110m HH   Trials
7:55 p.m.   Women's 1500m   Semifinals

Friday, June 5
6:30 p.m.   Men's 400m H    FINALS
7:05 p.m.   Women's 800m    FINALS
7:25 p.m.   Women's 100m H  Semifinals
7:35 p.m.   Men's 110m HH   Semifinals

Saturday, June 6
6:00 p.m.   Women's 100m H  FINALS
6:10 p.m.   Men's 110m HH   FINALS
6:50 p.m.   Women's 1500m   FINALS          

1998 VILLANOVA NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS ROSTER

Name                Event                  Ht.   Wt. Cl. Hometown / High School
Kareem Archer       400m Hurdles (49.43)   6-3  182  Sr. Plainfield, N.J. / Plainfield 
Jermaine Deans      Long Jump (7.87m)      5-11 142  Jr. Kingston, Jamaica / Jamaica College
Carmen Douma        1500m (4:18.94)        5-7  125  So. Cambridge, Ontario / Woodland Chr.
Tamieka Grizzle     800m  (2:04.95)        5-6  130  So. Bronx, N.Y. / George Washington
Ann McGranahan      10,000m (35:07.54      5-6  100  Fr. Pensacola, Fla. / Pensacola
Charmaine Walker   100m Hurdles (13.15)    5-8  138  Fr. Plainfield, N.J. / Plainfield