Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Qualify 26 Individuals For NCAA Preliminaries
May 19, 2016 | Track and Field
BOULDER— The University of Colorado track and field team has qualified 26 individual athletes, 14 women and 12 men, as well as two women's relays to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Preliminary round.
The Buffaloes will compete in the NCAA West Preliminaries, May 26-28, in Lawrence, Kan., at Rock Chalk Park. The East Preliminary round will also compete those same days in Jacksonville, Fla.
Leading the way for Colorado is senior Pierce Murphy, who will double in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. Murphy enters the meet as the third seed in the 10k (28:48.79) and is the seventh seed in the 5k (13:38.19). Also in the 5k, senior Morgan Pearson is the No. 4 seed (13:36.79) and freshman Joe Klecker is the No. 10 seed (13:44.23). Senior Connor Winter is also ranked highly, coming in as the No. 9 seed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (8:40.77).
The men have qualified eight others for the meet. They, along with their events and best qualifying efforts are: seniors Ammar Moussa, 5,000-meters (13:56.60) and 10,000-meters (29:29.92) and Brady Rutt, hammer throw (197-11) and discus (179-4.25), juniors Nick Harris, 1,500 (3:43.07), Jaron Thomas, 110-meter hurdles (14.12) and 400-hurdles (51.87), sophomores Zach Perrin, 1,500 (3:43.05), Adam Peterman, steeplechase (8:43.19), redshirt freshman Ryan Forsyth, 5,000 (14:01.27) and freshman John Dressel, 5,000 (13:48.88).
The women have some highly rated entries heading into the championships as well. Sophomore Erin Clark is the third seed in the steeplechase (9:48.72). In the 1,500, freshman Dani Jones is the fifth seed (4:15.29) and senior Maddie Alm is the No. 9 seed (4:17.83). The other top 10 seed for the Buffs is sophomore Kaitlyn Benner in the 5k, coming into the meet at seventh (15:56.52).
The other 10 women qualifiers, their events and best times or mark are: seniors Kelsey English, high jump (5-10.50), Eileen Gehring, 400-meters (54.36), Abrianna Torres, long jump (19-8.75) and high jump (5-10), juniors Carrie Verdon, 5,000 (16:19.89) and 10,000 (33:56.19), sophomores Mackenzie Caldwell, 5,000 (16:15.12) and 10,000 (33:52.08), Val Constien, steeplechase (10:05.65), Ana Holland, 200-meters (23.45), Mariah Walker, shot put (51-7) and freshmen Elissa Mann, 800 (2:05.28) and Cayla Seligman, 5,000 (16:16.78).
Colorado also qualified both of its women's sprint relay teams. The women's 4x100 (Holland, sophomores Tashay Brown and Alex Peters, and Gehring) recorded a time of 45.10 to advance to prelims, while the 4x400 team (Peters, Holland, freshman Gabby Scott and Gehring) ran 3:37.99 to earn a spot at the meet.
Live results and a live video stream will be available at NCAA.com. The top 12 athletes in each event will advance to the NCAA Championships June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.
