ORONO, Maine — Commencement exercises were held at the University of Maine on Saturday, but the athletic careers of two track and field standouts will continue for at least two more weeks.
Outgoing seniors Robyn McFetters and Jaclyn Masters of the Black Bears track and field team have earned their way into the NCAA Division I East Preliminary meet.
Both will compete in the event scheduled for May 26-28 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The top 48 individuals in each event qualify for the regionals.
McFetters will be making her fourth trip to the NCAA regional in the hammer throw, having also qualified in 2012, 2013 and 2015. She has continued to improve her performances over the course of a UMaine career that began in 2011.
The fifth-year senior from Barrington, Rhode Island, won the ECAC competition last Saturday with a toss of 195 feet, 7 inches. The effort came on her final throw of the competition held at Princeton, New Jersey.
However, McFetters’ qualifying throw for the NCAAs was a personal-best 200 feet, 5 inches, posted during an April 16 meet at the University of New Hampshire.
McFetters also won the hammer (181-2) at the America East outdoor championships on May 8. Last spring, she finished 30th at the NCAA regional with a throw of 178-7¾ after winning the ECAC title.
She won the America East hammer crown in 2012 (177-11), 2013 (183-9) and 2015 (180-¾). The 2013 effort ranks second all-time at the conference championships.
She was 40th at the NCAA prelim in 2012 (177-11) and took 23rd place in 2013 (180-5).
McFetters is scheduled to compete in the NCAA Preliminary at 4 p.m. on May 26.
Masters, who earned a nursing degree on Saturday, has qualified for an NCAA regional competition for the first time in her career.
The former standout at Edward Little High School in Auburn took top honors in the pole vault at the ECACs last weekend. Her vault of 13 feet, 3¾ inches eclipsed her own UMaine record.
Masters had turned in a 13-2 ¼ effort during the April 16 competition at the University of New Hampshire.
On May 8, Masters won her third pole vault title at the America East outdoor meet at 13-1½. She previously was victorious in 2015 (11-11¾) and 2013 (12-2¼). She was second in 2014.
Masters was named the America East Most Outstanding Rookie in 2013.
The NCAA Preliminary pole vault competition is slated for 5 p.m. on May 27.