Two Florida Tech Panthers will begin the most important competition of their young careers on Thursday, as Rachel Tobin and Alexis Santiago lace it up at the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 21-23. (FIT Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Two Florida Tech Panthers will begin the most important competition of their young careers on Thursday, as Rachel Tobin and Alexis Santiago lace it up at the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 21-23.
The two freshmen will represent FIT in three events this week, Tobin in the 100 meter and 200 meter dash and Santiago in the 100 meter hurdles.
A local product out of Palm Bay, Florida, Tobin has been phenomenal in her first collegiate season.
Rachel Tobin
Rachel Tobin qualified for the NCAA Championships after running provisionally qualifying times of 11.85 in the 100 meter dash at the USF Invitational and 23.90 in the 200 meter dash at the Bulls Invitational.
Alexis Santiago
The 2015 Peach Belt Conference Freshman Female Track Athlete of the Year finished outside the top five just once in 14 events this season and posted one win in the 200 meter dash at the USF Invitational.
A native of Naples, Florida, Alexis Santiago is having the best season for a female hurdler in Florida Tech history, as the she currently holds the program records in both the 100 meter and 200 meter hurdles. She qualified for the national championships in the 100 meter hurdles after running a 14.01 at the UCF Twilight.
Santiago posted three top-three finishes in seven events in the 100 meter hurdles this season, including a win at the Embry-Riddle Spikes Classic.
Tobin kicks off the championships with the preliminary round for the 100 meter dash on Thursday at 6:10 p.m. ET. The prelims for the 200 meter dash will begin on Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
For Santiago, her competition starts on Friday with the 100 meter hurdle prelims at 6:35 p.m. ET.
Pete Mazzone
“Both Rachel and Alexis are excited for the opportunity to compete on this stage,” said head coach Pete Mazzone.
“They are confident and ready to roll; it’s a good feeling to have going in the national championships.”
The 2015 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships are hosted by the West Michigan Sports Commission and Grand Valley State University and will take place at the GVSU Track & Field Complex in Allendale, Michigan.
A total of 754 participants, 377 men and 377 women, will compete in the championships. Student-athletes qualified for the championships by reaching the automatic and provisional standards established for each event.
Portions of the championships will be streamed live on NCAA.com starting May 21.
