Two Trackmen Go to NCAAs; High Jumper Embree in Finals

High jumper Mel Embree, one of two Harvard thinclads competing in the NCAA indoor track championships, cleared 6 ft. 11 in. yesterday to qualify for the finals, which are to be held tonight.

Danny Jiggetts, competing in the 35-pound weight throw, failed to qualify for the finals, tossing the weight only 55 feet, four feet short of the qualifying distance. Jiggetts got off only one clean throw, fouling on the other two.

Coach Bill McCurdy said of Embree, "I think he has a good chance to win. He's been looking towards the NCAAs since the start of the season."

The high jumper faces competition from Greg Joy of the University of Texas, El Paso, who has cleared 7 ft. 4 in., and Bill Knoedel of Iowa, who has made 7 ft. 2 1/2 in.

Embree set the Harvard record with a jump of 7 ft. 2 1/4 in. earlier this year.

The junior trackman did not jump at all this week in practice because of a mild case of tendonitis in one knee.

Good Condition

Embree said yesterday that he didn't think the tendon problem would hurt his jumping in the finals. "I've been jumping enough so my form is pretty good, and I'm in good enough condition," he said.

Coach McCurdy said, "He's as rested as he's been all year, but you worry about almost any injury in track."

Jiggetts, although failing to qualify for the finals, made "startling progress this year," according to McCurdy. His best throw this season, over 61 feet, ranks fourth in the Harvard record book.