TAMPA --   Jordan Williams, Jonathan Moore and Christopher Jackson advanced the quarterfinals of the NCAA Track And Field East Preliminary Thursday at the University of South Florida.

Williams (45.97) finished second in his 400 meter heat, as did Moore (1:48.58) in his 800 meter to earn berths in Friday's quarterfinals while Jackson advanced on his 800 meter time of 1:49.23. To advance to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships June 3-6 in Eugene, a top three heat finish or three fastest times after that is needed.

Moore, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion in the 800, turned in the fourth overall fastest time among the day's 48 competitors. With teammate Jackson in the same heat, the Bethune-Cookman duo stayed ahead of Indiana's Daniel Kuhn -- the Big 10 Runner-Up, but Robert Heppenstall of Wake Forest ,who finished third at least year's NCAA championship overtook Moore at the end. Jackson slipped to fourth behind Kuhn.

Williams, a sophomore from nearby St. Petersburg was pitted against nine-time All-American Nathan Strother of Tennessee, who clocked a 45.90. Williams enters Friday's quarterfinals seeded 13th, .06 second behind Tulane's Raymond Kibet for the final national berth.

Williams also has his 200 meter first round qualifier Friday.

Other Bethune-Cookman finishes from Thursday:

Caleb Okwaraji, 400 hurdles, 52.01, 27th
Kareem Fair, 100 meters, 10:38 26th
Sade McCreath-Tardiel, 100 meters, 11.60, 36th
Asia Joe, 400 meters, 53.50, 32nd
Quamecha Morrison, high jump, 5-7, T-28th.
Monae Nichols , long jump, 19-8¼, 14th