On Tuesday, the NCAA announced that freshmen phenoms Alexis Santiago and Rachel Tobin were selected to compete at the 2015 NCAA Division II Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 21-23 in Allendale, Michigan at the Grand Valley State University Track and Field Complex. (FIT Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The hard work and dedication has paid off for two members of the Florida Tech women’s track & field team.
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.
Santiago and Tobin have been spectacular in their first season donning the Crimson and Gray, each claiming three individual program records, while teaming up with fellow freshman Maia Carter and sophomore JoeMarie Reid for two school relay records.
A native of Naples, Florida, Santiago qualified for the National Championships in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.01 seconds. She ranks third in the Peach Belt Conference in 100 meter hurdles.
Tobin was named the 2015 PBC Freshman Track Athlete of the Year after finishing third in the conference in the 100 meter and second in the 200 meter.
The local product out of Palm Bay, Florida has personal-bests of 11.85 and 23.90 seconds in the 100 and 200 meter, respectively.
Pete Mazzone
“We are very excited for Rachel and Alexis,” said head coach Pete Mazzone.
“They have worked, and continue to work, extremely hard all season. They are continuing to see that hard work pays off. Making it to the NCAAs is great but they know that there is a bigger goal to accomplish. I know that they are ready to handle anything.”
For the track & field program as a whole, this is just another step in becoming a top level program.
“Florida Tech has had representation at the NCAA outdoor national championship in three of the first five years of the program existence,” stated Mazzone.
“As a program we are truly excited for the future and what we know we can achieve.”
Santiago kicks off the championships with the 100 meter hurdle prelims on Friday at 6:35 p.m. ET.
Tobin opens with the 100 meter dash prelims on Thursday at 6:10 p.m. ET. The preliminary round for the 200 meter dash begins on Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Portions of the championships will be streamed live on NCAA.com. To access the live stream, go to www.NCAA.com starting May 21.
