NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. –The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee recently announced the participants for the 2008 NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh from May 22-24. The Little East Conference is well represented in the national field as five students reached the automatic and provisional standards for each event.

Under the leadership of Head Coach Peter Thomas, Keene State College sends three underclassmen to the national championships. Sophomore Frank Radlof (Milford, N.H.) and freshman Bryan Kolacz (Brentwood, N.H.) represent the Owls in the field events, while classmate Craig MacPherson (Derry, N.H.) takes to the track. Radlof registered his season-best performance at the New England Open Championships with a leap of 7.12 meters to earn the 10th longest leap in the nation this season, while Kolacz turned in the 12th-best toss in the nation in the hammer throw at the same competition (54.42 meters). MacPherson is making his second appearance on the national stage in his rookie campaign, after earning a spot in the 2008 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. He enters the championship fray in reach of attaining All-American status in the 1,500-meter run (3:52.31).

Head Coach Scott Hutchinson guided two University of Southern Maine student-athletes into the national field. Senior Curtis Wheeler (Derby, Vt.) qualified to compete in a pair of distance events, while junior James Spaulding (Lewiston, Maine) eclipsed the point standard for the decathlon event. Wheeler qualified for the NCAA Championships at the New England Open Championships, crossing the 5,000-meter course in a time of 14:31.92, marking the14th-best time in Division III. Wheeler will also make an appearance in the 10,000 field (30:18.26). Spaulding booked his ticket to the national championships after winning the decathlon event (6286 points) at the New England Open Championships. His boasts the 15th highest point total in the nation.

For complete coverage of the 2008 NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, please click on the NCAASports.com Web site.