Spartan Qualifies for NCAA Championships

AURORA, Ill. May 21, 2007 - Aurora University men’s track and field thrower, freshman Adrian Kibiersza (DesPlaines, IL/Maine West H.S.) became the first Aurora University men’s track and field athlete in the four-year existence of the program to reach the NCAA Division III Track and Field Outdoor National Championships. The championships will be held Thursday through Saturday, May 24-26, at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Kibiersza will compete at the national meet in both the discus and the shot put. He will join 17 student-athletes in the discus and 18 in the shot put event. The NCAA Division III qualifying mark in the discus was at 48.39m (158’9”) and the qualifying mark in the shot put was 15.72m (51’7”).

"We are excited and proud of Adrian on his qualifying onto nationals and for reaching this milestone for our track and field program. His performance this season has been extraordinary and we look forward to seeing him compete against the best division III throwers in the country,” AU Track and Field Head Coach James Kluckhohn said.

Kibiersza’s qualifying mark in the discus came at the Benedictine University Invitational on Saturday, April 21. Kibiersza won the discus event at Benedictine with a throw of 48.70m (159'09"). He used his last regular qualifying meet on Friday, May 18, 2007, at the North Central College Gregory Invitational to surpass the shot put mark. He finished third in the shot put with a throw of 15.72m (51’7”).

Kibiersza will be in action at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Outdoor National Championships on Thursday, May 24, at 6:00 p.m. in the discus and on Saturday, May 26, at noon in the shot put. The meet will be at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh, WI.

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