KU tracksters earn automatic bids

? Kansas University’s Hugh Murphy, Julius Jiles, Janiece Gatson, Abby Emsick, Crystal Manning and Ashley Brown all earned automatic bids to the NCAA Championships on Saturday at the Midwest Regionals.

As teams, the men finished fourth with 50 points while the women placed 10th with 26 points.

Brown and Gatson placed second and fifth in the 400-meter hurdles. Brown nearly matched her school record, running 57.69. Gatson was timed in 59.27.

Murphy placed fifth in the javelin with 210-0.

Emsick and Manning earned berths in the discus and triple jump.

Jiles placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles in 13.82. The mark represents a tie for the third-fastest time in school history.

Kate Sultanova finished sixth in the pole vault in 13-33â4 and although it is not an automatic berth, she expects to earn a trip to nationals based on her top performance this year.