SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Susquehanna University freshman Emily Lepley will compete in 55-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Friday evening.

Lepley (Lewistown , PA /Lewistown H.S.) is one of 14 athletes entered in the event, which holds preliminaries on Friday at 6:20 p.m. (CST).

She provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships with a time of 8.55 seconds in her first meet of the season at Bucknell on Dec. 6, and lowered it through the season to a best time of 8.44 seconds at the Middle Atlantic Conference championship on Feb. 28.

Lepley is the first Crusader to participate in the women's indoor championships and the second Susquehanna athlete overall, joining pole vaulter Frank Krantz who finished third at the 1992 championship meet.

The winners of each of the two heats along with the next six fastest runners will advance to Saturday's finals at 4:35 p.m. (CST).

In addition to Lepley, the MAC is represented by in the 55-meter hurdles by Elizabethtown senior Carrie Kerna and Moravian junior Kirsten Rotzell. Lepley is also one of four freshmen competing in the event.