The Hoyas welcomed the beginning of spring with a smattering of championship qualifying times Saturday at the Raleigh Relays at the Paul Derr Track in Raleigh, N.C., Georgetown track and field’s first outdoor meet of the 2006 season.

Both the men and the women ran well enough to earn trips to the outdoor championship meets for the NCAA and the Big East.

Freshman Andrew Bumbalough kicked off the top performances, notching an NCAA regional qualifying time in the 5,000-meter run with a fifth-place performance of 14:10.00, a personal best time.

A pack of Hoyas crossed the line behind Bumbalough to earn Big East qualifying marks. Senior Charles Millieon was close behind with his sixth-place time of 14:16.22, and seniors Chris Esselborn and Steven Meinelt, juniors Brian Dalpiaz and Matt Debole and sophomore Justin Scheid all qualified for the Big East championship as well.

Sophomore Shane Young and freshman Alex Mason both earned trips to the Big East championships with their qualifying times in the 3,000m steeplechase. They ran 9:28.27 and 9:33.29 respectively.

The Hoya relay squad won the 4×1,500m in a time of 15:44.90, while a different foursome made up the fourth place 4x800m relay.

“Chris Bonner had a real nice carry for the 800, splitting 1:50.7. He is running that distance at a national level now,” Helmer said.

Also punching an early ticket to the Big East was senior Chris Bonner who posted a fifth-place finish in the 400m dash with his time of 48.25. Bonner came back to anchor the 4x400m relay to a fourth-place finish in a time of 3:16.02.

The freshman pair of Terrell Gissendanner and Khyle Osbourne earned their first trip to the spring Big East championships as well. Gissendanner qualified twice, speeding to a 14.77 second finish in the 110m high hurdles and leaping 44 feet 8 inches in the triple jump. Osbourne earned his mark in the shot put by throwing 48 feet 9.5 inches.

On the women’s side, freshman Christine Whalen led the performances with her second-place finish in the 800m in a time of 2:10.27, a Big East qualifying time.

“She does everything I ask of her in practice, and loves to race, so it all comes together for her,” Helmer said.

Junior Kandance Ferguson ran a speedy 400m dash as she finished third with a Big East and an ECAC qualifying time of 54.96. She returned on the 4x400m relay, which finished fifth in a time of 3:49.23.

The Hoyas competed in the spring medley relay as well finishing in third place with a time of 4:01.11.

Sophomore Jennie Funk debuted in the 10,000m race running a quick time of 36.32.80 qualifying her for the Big East meet.

In the field events, sophomore jumper Alex Baptiste jumped her way into the Big East meet with her qualifying mark of 38 feet 3 inches in the triple jump. Freshman Buky Bambigoye also leapt to a Big East qualifying mark in the long jump.

The Hoyas women dominated the 5,000m run, garnering four Big East qualifiers. Senior Erin Henry and junior Liz Maloy led with their eighth- and ninth-place tag team finishes with times of 17:00.20 and 17:00.55, while freshman twins Avril and Lise Ogrodnick finished with times of 17:13.59 and 17:28.21.

“These four girls ran faster than they’ve ever run, even though the pace went out slow in the race,” Helmer said.

Georgetown will split its teams to compete at both the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta, Ga., as well as the Terrapin Invitational in College Park, Md., on Saturday.