JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Three members of the Wofford College track and field team competed in the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field East Regionals held at the University of North Florida over the past three days.
 
Hannah Steelman qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championships in both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters for the second straight season.
 
For the first time in school history, Wofford College had three individuals compete as McLeod Dean ran the 100 and 200 meters and Steelman ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters. Isaiah Ellis became the first men's competitor in school history, qualifying in the 400-meter hurdles.
 
On Thursday, Ellis ran the 400-meter hurdles in 52.18 to finish 35^th in the first round. His time was the second-fastest in school history. Dean competed in the 100 meters and finished 45^th overall with a time of 11.92.
 
Hannah Steelman finished second in her heat and second overall in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:55.18. Her top three finish in the heat automatically qualified her for the national championship. Dean ran the 200 meters on Friday with a time of 23.92 to finish 37^th overall.
 
On Saturday night, Steelman finished second in her heat with a time of 16:10.37 in the 5,000 meters to become an automatic qualifier. She was fifth overall in the event to reach the national championship.
 
Dean, a senior from Maryville, Tennessee, finished her career with Wofford school records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters. She won the 100 meters and 200 meters at the 2018 and 2019 Southern Conference Outdoor Championships and picked up wins in the 60 meter and 200 meters at the 2019 Southern Conference Indoor Championships to total six individual titles.  
 
Ellis, a sophomore from Chesnee, South Carolina, holds the school record in both the 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles and earned All-Southern Conference honors this season in the 400-meter hurdles.
 
Steelman, a sophomore from Orono, Maine, holds school records in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, 5,000 meters and 1,500 meters. At the 2019 Southern Conference Championship she won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:52.71 to set a new conference record. She added All-Southern Conference honors in the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. Steelman also qualified for the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships, the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championship and the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships.
 
The top twelve qualifiers out of the two regions (24 total) will compete in the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 5-8 in Austin, Texas. The 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinals will be June 6 at 7:32 p.m. CT, with the finals on June 8 at 5:54 p.m. CT. The 5,000 meters finals will be June 8 at 7:25 p.m. CT.