JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Vermont track & field graduate student, Jane Leighton, has qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round. Leighton will compete in the 3000-meter steeplechase at 5:40 p.m. ET on May 27 at University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium. The meet will broadcast live on ESPN+.

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Leighton will be the first UVM woman to compete in the NCAA Track & Field Championships since Nika Ouellette, Yolanda Ngarambe, and Brittany St. Clair in 2014. 

"I am absolutely thrilled that Jane has earned the right to compete at the NCAA Track & Field Championships," head coach Matt Belfield said. "She made a commitment for this fifth year to make it to this meet; so it simply is a wonderful thing that she is representing the Catamounts next Saturday. Not being able to race the last couple weekends made this tough for her, but Jane's fantastic performance out in California stood up well as the regular season wound down throughout the country last weekend. She is rounding back into form and I know she will give a great effort for the Green & Gold in Florida. Jane fought hard and made many sacrifices this year; and I am just so pleased that her determination is being rewarded."
 
The Amherst, New Hampshire native will enter the NCAA Preliminary Round as the No. 39 seed in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Leighton recorded a qualifying mark of 10:25.97 on April 13 at the Bryan Clay Invite in Azusa, California. Her 3000-meter steeplechase is the second-fastest mark in program history. She is one of two America East student-athletes set to compete in the steeplechase in Jacksonville.
 
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