TAMPA, FL – Two of three members of the South Carolina State track and field team that were in action Thursday at the NCAA Div. 1 Track and Field East Preliminary Round advanced, earning a spot in Friday's quarterfinals with a trip to the NCAA Finals at Eugene, OR Jun. 6-9 at stake.

Advancing to the quarterfinals for Coach Tim Langford's Bulldog squad were sprinters Tyrell Richard and Demek Kemp. Bulldog long jumper Daniel Seawright, an Orangeburg native and Edisto High graduate, failed to move on, fouling on all three of his jumps.

Richard moved to Friday's 1:00 p.m. quarterfinals in the 400 meters by winning his heat in a time of 45.39, the fourth-best clocking of the day. Kemp finished third in his heat in the 100 meters with a time of 10.31, 17^th overall in the event and will be in the field of 24 Friday at 1:30 p.m.

The top three finishers in each of the six heats and the next six fastest times in each event make up the field of 24 battling for a trip to finals. Twelve will advance to Oregon.

Richard and Kemp will also be in action Friday in the first round of the 200 meters at 3 p.m., while hurdler James Jones will compete in the 110-meter hurdles first round at 12 noon, with each seeking a spot in Saturday's quarterfinals.

SC State's Langford was happy that two Bulldogs moved on and have a chance to reach the finals.

"It was not a bad day for our team, with two of three performers moving on, but we still got work to do," Langford said. "Step one is done but our goal is to make the finals and earn a spot in the championship at Eugene (OR). We are taking it one step at a time."

If either of the Bulldog performers make the finals, it will be his first trip to the NCAA Championship.