JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--Sophomore middle distance runner Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Dublin, Ireland) won her national first round heat of the 800 meters at the NCAA East Preliminary and automatically qualified for the quarterfinals during competition at Hodges Stadium on Thursday night. Villanova had two runners in competition on the first night of the regional meet, with freshman Sammy Bockoven (Hudson, Ohio) also in action in the first round of the 1500 meters.

Cleirigh Buttner crossed the finish line in 2:06.04 in the third of six heats of the 800 meters. She won the heat by a tenth of a second and easily secured one of the three automatic qualifying spots for tomorrow night's national quarterfinal heats. The time of 2:06.04 is the second-fastest time of the current outdoor season and the fourth-fastest that Cleirigh Buttner has run outdoors during her collegiate career. She was ranked 13th overall out of the 24 athletes who moved on to the quarterfinal round in the 800 meters.

The quarterfinal heats of the 800 meters take place on Friday night at 7 p.m. Cleirigh Buttner will be vying to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career outdoors. She has competed at the national indoor meet in each of the last two years, including being a second team All-American in the 800 meters earlier this year. In tomorrow's quarterfinal round, the top three athletes in each of three heats and the next three fastest times will advance to the national championship meet next month. Cleirigh Buttner will run in the second of the three quarterfinal heats.

Bockoven recorded a time of 4:28.31 in her first round heat of the 1500 meters. She placed eighth in the first of four total heats and did not move on to the next round. Bockoven wrapped up a terrific freshman campaign for the Wildcats, which included being a part of the team's Championship of America winning 4x1500 meter relay at the Penn Relays and earning All-BIG EAST accolades in the 4x800 meter relay earlier this month.

Also in action for Villanova on Saturday night will be senior sprinter Shanice Grant (Kingston, Jamaica), who will run in the national first round heats of the 100 meter hurdles at 5 p.m. Grant enters the meet with a season and personal best time of 13.50 which she recorded at the BIG EAST Championships two weeks ago.

COMPLETE VILLANOVA RESULTS - THURSDAY, MAY 26

800 Meters - National First Round

Siofra Cleirigh Buttner        13th of 48       2:06.04             H3: 1st

1500 Meters - National First Round

Sammy Bockoven                 33rd of 48       4:28.31             H1: 8th

VILLANOVA SCHEDULE - FRIDAY, MAY 27

5:00 PM       Women's 100 Meter Hurdles         First Round7:00 PM       Women's 800 Meters                Quarterfinals