Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Advance Four More Individuals To NCAAs
May 28, 2016 | Track and Field
LAWRENCE, Kan. – On the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary round, Colorado advanced four more athletes, two in the 1,500 and two in the 5,000-meter runs, to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
“It was a long, hot, chaotic weekend here, but it's finally over and we are mostly happy,” head coach Mark Wetmore said. “I thought we might advance about ten athletes and it turned out to be nine.”
The Buffs qualified both Dani Jones and Maddie Alm in the women's 1,500. Jones, a freshman, won her section of the race in 4:17.16, which was the fastest time of the day. Jones led the entire race and held off Pac-12 opponents Molly McNamara (Stanford – 4:17.20) and Annie LeBlanc (Oregon – 4:17.36) at the finish.
Alm led for the first 1,100 meters, losing it just before the bell lap. She was passed by Washington's Anna Maxwell and Oklahoma State's Kaela Edwards, but Alm didn't lose her composure and finished strong for third in 4:18.64 and was able to earn one of the four time qualifiers.
“The women in the 1,500 were excellent,” Wetmore said. “On a windy day, when everyone wanted to be careful and tentative, they each took their heat out hard and challenged their opponents to stay with them. Dani ended up the fastest of the day, and Maddie ran her second fastest time ever in very imperfect conditions.”
The Buffs got another women's qualifier for nationals when sophomore Kaitlyn Benner placed fifth in the first section of the 5,000-meter run. Benner, who ran a very patient and steady race, finished with a time of 16:14.27, almost two seconds in front of New Mexico's Calli Thackery (16:16.15).
Senior Morgan Pearson was the only male to advance on Saturday and earned his trip by taking one of the five automatic qualifying spots in the 5k. Pearson moved up to the top five around the midway point and stayed patient. He dropped back to sixth with three laps to go, but heading into the bell lap, he was back to fourth, and that is where he would stay, finishing in 14:13.38.
The second heat of the 5k had four Buffs, including senior Pierce Murphy who had already advanced to NCAAs on Friday in the 10k. Murphy went to the front of the pack and led for over half of the race, but with about 1,200 meters remaining, a group overtook him. Murphy's teammate, freshman John Dressel, had the best finish of the quartet, finishing seventh in the heat in 14:17.07. He was looking to qualify on time for NCAAs, but was a little over a second behind BYU's Rory Linkletter, who crossed the finish line just ahead of him in 14:16.05.
“The 5k's went about as planned,” Wetmore said. “We would been disappointed if Morgan or Kaitlyn didn't advance. We had hoped maybe for one or two more, but we got what was expected. John is another young one who just missed. Maybe next year.”
Murphy ended up 11th in the heat (14:28.87), while senior teammate Ammar Moussa was eighth (14:22.54) and freshman Joe Klecker was 12th (14:38.57). Freshman Ryan Forsyth ran in the first heat with Pearson and was 19th (14:36.47).
In the men's 1,500, neither of Colorado's racers advanced, although both put up a good showing. Junior Nick Harris started off in the first heat, running near the back of the 12-person pack, but gradually started to work his way up on the outside. Harris made a huge move in the last 200 meters, working up from ninth to third overall and finished in 3:44.39.
Sophomore Zach Perrin was in the middle of the pack in his heat though the first 300 and ran a pretty steady race. Down the homestretch, he turned on another gear, but it wasn't enough to finish in the top two (which automatically advanced) and he ended up fourth in 3:46.97.
Senior Brady Rutt finished his career for the Buffs with an outstanding performance in the discus, despite not moving on to NCAAs in two weeks. He came out on his third throw of the series and launched a personal best (179-11), which after the first flight, was second. Rutt ended up 18th overall, but it was a great effort.
“Brady is one of the ones who missed, but he may be the only one who had a personal best performance trying,” Wetmore said. “We ask the athletes to just aspire to equal what they did to make it here, and he exceeded that. He has had an excellent end to his season.”
Other performances at the west prelims for the Buffs included:
· The women's 4x100 meter relay placed 7th in the second section, finishing in 45.39 (18th overall)
· Junior Jaron Thomas clocked a season-best 13.99 to place third in his section of the 110-meter hurdles. His time was 18th overall.
· Sophomore Ana Holland was seventh in her section of the 200, finishing in 24.17 (40th overall).
· Junior Carrie Verdon was 17th in the first heat of the 5k, finishing in 17:25.33.
· Freshman Cayla Seligman was 40th in the 5k, running 17:32.77.
· Sophomore Mariah Walker placed 37th in the shot put with a 47-10 mark.
· The women's 4x400 meter relay placed seventh in the second heat, recording a time of 3:39.28.
In total, the Buffs have qualified nine athletes, six women and three men, to compete at NCAAs in Eugene, Ore., June 8-11.
“I think we had three runners miss advancing by a combined one second: Elissa (Mann), Connor (Winter) and Nick (Harris),” Wetmore said. “But each can look at their race and find something to learn from. Elissa and Nick can apply those lessons to next year.
“Now back to Boulder and back to work.”
2016 NCAA WEST PRELIMINARY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Rock Chalk Park (University of Kansas)
Lawrence, Kansas
Track Events
Women's 4x100 meter relay (quarterfinals): (1. Texas A&M, 43.74) 18. Colorado, 45.39
Women's 1,500-meters (quarterfinals): 1. Dani Jones, 4:17.16, 7. Maddie Alm, 4:18.64
Men's 1,500-meters (quarterfinals): (1. Isaic Yorks, Washington, 3:43.14) 12. Nick Harris, 3:44.39; 25. Zach Perrin, 3:46.97
Men's 110-meter hurdles (quarterfinals): (1. Devon Allen, Oregon, 13.37) 18. Jaron Thomas, 13.99
Women's 200 meters (quarterfinals): (1. Deajah Stevens, Oregon, 22.48) 40. Ana Holland, 24.17
Women's 5,000 meters (quarterfinals): (1. Auroca Dybedokken, Ok. St., 16:08.16) 5. Kaitlyn Benner, 16:14.27; 38. Carrie Verdon, 17:25.33; 40. Cayla Seligman, 17:32.77
Men's 5,000 meters (quarterfinals): (1. William Kincaid, Portland, 14:09.13) 8. Morgan Pearson, 14:13.38; 13. John Dressel, 14:17.07; 16. Ammar Moussa, 14:22.54; 25. Pierce Murphy, 14:28.87; 30. Ryan Forsyth, 14:36.47; 31. Joe Klecker, 14:38.57
Field Events
Men's Discus (first round): (1. Mitchell Cooper, Kansas, 195-0) 18. Brady Rutt, 179-11
Women's Shot Put (first round): (1. Kelsey Card, Wisconsin, 57-0) 37. Mariah Walker, 47-10
