May 26, 2013

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Junior Emily Lipari (Greenvale, N.Y.) came in second in her national quarterfinal heat of the 1500 meters and automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships at Aggie Stadium in the NCAA East Regional on Saturday night. Lipari advances to the finals site of the NCAA meet for the first time outdoors.

In the first of two quarterfinal heats in the 1500 meters Lipari registered a time of 4:15.89, which is the fastest of her career in a Villanova uniform. She made a big move during the bell lap to ensure a finish in the top five of the heat and an automatic berth in the national semifinals in Eugene, Ore. next month. The national meet takes place at Hayward Field from June 5-8.

Sophomore Stephanie Schappert (Delray Beach, Fla.) came in 10th in the same heat as Lipari and posted a time of 4:22.88. The pack of 12 runners remained tight until the final 400 meters. Schappert set a new personal best in the 1500 meters in the first round on Thursday night and wraps up a successful sophomore campaign.

Sophomore thrower Jamie Klein (Hawthorne, N.J.) finished 22nd in the javelin earlier on Saturday after a throw of 44.60 meters. She competed in the first of three flights and her best throw came on the third of her three attempts. Klein also threw for a distance of 44.59 meters on her second throw. She was the runner-up in her individual flight and wound up 22nd overall out of 48 competitors.

The final event for the Wildcats was the national semifinals of the 5000 meters, in which senior Summer Cook (Thornton, Colo.) registered a time of 17:03.11. She came in 22nd in her heat and 40th overall.