RUSTON — The Louisiana Tech track and field teams will send nine representatives to the NCAA East Regional at the Kentucky Outdoor Track & Field Facility on May 22-25 in Lexington, Ky.
 
The country's third-ranked 100m squad group will send four participants to the first round on May 22 at 6 p.m. CT to open up the regional for the Bulldogs. Rodney Heath Jr., Quoi Ellis, Karo Oghomi, and Julian Forde all rank in the top 41 for the East Region.
 
Heath Jr. will look to make his second straight trip to the NCAA Championship in the 100m. He has qualified all four years for the regional round and was part of two consecutive trips to the championships as a member of the Kentucky 4x100 relay team. The program record holder's top time on the season is 10.07 at the Warhawk Classic, the 12th fastest time in the country. This gives him three times of 10.09 or less on the season.
 
Ellis ran a converted 10.11 at the CUSA Outdoor Championship to finish 23rd with a converted time of 10.14 due to altitude. His 20.74 in the 200m converted to a 20.76 to qualify him for that event in 43rd. He finished fifth in the 100m, won bronze in the 200m, and was part of the 4x100 team that won gold at the conference meet. His 10.11 ranks fifth on the LA Tech performance list.
 
Oghomi finished with a time of 10.20 at the Warhawk Classic for the 34th fastest time in the country, while Forde ran a 10.22 at the 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays for No. 41. Oghomi ranks No. 9 on the LA Tech performance list, and Forde sits just outside the top 10 but 0.01 seconds.
 
Forde had his best race of the year at the 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, finishing 11th with a 10.22. The junior has the 41st-fastest time in the nation.
 
The final male to make it to Lexington is Valentino Rudolph in the 200m. Rudolph ran a 20.73 to capture third at the Warhawk Classic and claim the 42nd spot on the qualifying list. 
 
The women have four athletes competing starting at noon CT on May 23 with the javelin. Shatalya Dorsett, Tonie-Ann Forbes, Maria Ferreiro Pena, and A'reil Williams will represent the Bulldogs in the 200m, 100m hurdles, javelin, and the high jump.
 
Dorsett qualified for the regional with the 33rdf fastest time in the 200m with a 23.33 at the Warhawk Classic. The freshman was named CUSA Female Freshman of the Week for her performance. She also has the top time for the Bulldogs in the 100m with an 11.53 from the CUSA Outdoor Championship.
 
The school record holder in the 60m hurdles, Forbes has been one of the top freshmen in the country in the 100m hurdles. The Jamaica native ran a 13.13 in the prelims of the CUSA Outdoor Championship to qualify in 21st. Forbes was named CUSA Female Freshman of the Week after breaking the program's record in three straight races and again after running a 13.21 at the Keyth Talley Invitational, also earning CUSA Female Track Athlete of the Week.
 
Ferreiro Pena made it inside the cut at No. 47 with a throw of 45.05m from the Warhawk Classic. The junior picked up two points during the Bulldog's best finish at the CUSA Outdoor Championship since joining the league.
 
Another freshman and school record holder, Williams, made it in the field, where Nos. 28-48 all cleared a height of 1.76m. The Lake Charles native won gold with that height at the conference championship and cleared it at the Keyth Talley Invitational.
 
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