Chapel Hill, N.C. Senior Stephanie McNeill continued preparations for the 2007 NCAA East Regional Track and Field Championships Friday by competing at the UNC Chapel Hill Elite Meet. Hosted by the University of North Carolina, the meet featured athletes from the Carolinas and Virginia that are already qualified and preparing for the NCAA Regional Championships. McNeill placed sixth in the shot put and third in the hammer.

The Summerville, S.C. native threw 46' 8.25” to place sixth in the shot put. McNeill marked a four-inch advantage to top North Carolina's Kimberly Warren in the event while falling about five inches short of Virginia Tech's Erika Schroeder.

Entering the weekend's elite meet in Chapel Hill, North Carolina's Warren was ranked ahead of McNeill in the East Regional Performance List by only one-half inch. McNeill is currently 27th in the East Regional rankings in the shot put.

McNeill's throw of 153' 11” in the hammer placed The Citadel senior third, behind Virginia Tech's Tamara Burns. McNeill qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championships in the hammer by winning the Southern Conference Championship.

McNeill now sets her sights on the NCAA Regional meet, to be held in Gainesville, Fla. on May 25-26. The first woman from The Citadel to ever compete in an NCAA Championship meet last year, McNeill is marking her return to the national stage in what is arguably considered the toughest of the four regions in the country.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Track and Field, visit the official home of The Citadel Athletics at CitadelSports.com.