Track and Field

Oneonta State’s Ashlee Robertson was first in her heat and second overall in the 400-meter qualifier Friday to advance to Saturday’s final during the opening day of the NCAA Division III national meet at Benedictine University (Ill.)

Robertson finished the race in 55.49 seconds.

Musu Jackson-Buckner won her heat in the 100 (12.15) and was fourth overall to advance to the finals.

Kaitlyn O’Sullivan was second in her heat and eighth overall in the 800 (2:12.62), also advancing to the finals.

Jackson-Buckner finished second in her heat in the 200 Thursday to advance to Saturday’s final.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]Jackson-Buckner’s time of 24.0 set a school record and was also sixth all-time in D-III, O-State coach Matt LoPiccolo said. Lincoln University’s Shanda Jackson won the heat at 23.97 seconds. Those were the top two qualifiers overall.

"That’s ripping fast," LoPiccolo said about Jackson-Buckner’s time. "It was almost a dead heat with the other girl."

Jackson-Buckner also advanced to the finals of the 400 relay, along with Maureen Verdier, Melissa Kanterman and Robertson. O-State won its heat and was third overall with a school-record time of 47.1 seconds.

O’Sullivan advanced to the 1,500 finals by finishing third in her heat in 4:31.5, a school record.

Also competing Thursday were Verdier in the 400 hurdles (13th overall, 1:02.63) and Robertson in the 200 (13th overall, 25.02).