FROM STAFF REPORTS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Texas Tech senior D’Andra Carter advanced to the finals of the women’s shot put at the NCAA outdoor track and field meet.

In Thursday’s preliminaries, Carter scratched on her first two attempts, but then had the third-best throw of the competition — 174 feet, 5 inches. The top 12 advanced to the finals at noon Saturday.

Carter finished sixth two years ago in Sacramento, Calif., and third last year in Des Moines, Iowa.

The shot put prelims took place on day two of the NCAA outdoor meet. Later Thursday, Tech had Asia Diaz scheduled to run in the women’s 800-meter semifinals at at 7:15 p.m. and Gladys Kipsang scheduled in the women’s 1,500 preliminaries at 7:55 p.m.

The Tech men’s 1,600-meter relay team was to run in the prelims at 8:40 p.m. The Red Raiders’ time of 3:02.75 seconds was good for second in the NCAA Midwest Regional and has them ranked No. 3 in the nation.