University of Oregon
Holiday Inn Team Invitational
Mitchum & Scherer Race to NCAA Marks at Iowa State
02/12/05 | Track and Field
AMES, Iowa ? In second day action in the Iowa State Classic, juniors Eric Mitchum and Matt Scherer climbed the NCAA provisional lists in the 60 hurdles and 400.
Mitchum clocked his first NCAA provisional times of the year in the 60 hurdles prelims (7.74) and final (third, 7.76). In the final, he trailed only Antwon Hicks of Ole Miss (first, 7.65) and Josh Walker of Florida (second, 7.69) who both eclipsed the NCAA automatic standard of 7.70 seconds.
The All-American junior and Calumet City, Ill., native took a sizable step towards his second NCAA indoor invite since only three collegians had run faster this year before Saturday. Michum earned his first NCAA invite indoors last year with a sophomore season best of 7.78, and Saturday's time was only .05 seconds off his school record from last year's NCAA prelims (7.69).
In the event prelims, junior A.K. Ikwuakor made his season debut (19th, 8.17) and sophomore Sol Rexius took 42nd in a .02-second personal best (8.42).
In the 400, junior Matt Scherer tied his indoor school record en route to the win (46.40) over Auburn's Damion Barry (second, 46.41) and Southeast Missouri State's Miles Smith (third, 46.61). The Sumner, Ill., native Scherer turned in a .14-second season best Saturday that could move him up the NCAA list since only five people had run faster before Saturday. He entered the weekend ranked seventh nationally with last week's best of 46.54 from Flagstaff, Ariz.
Coincidentally, Scherer ran his initial indoor school record 46.40 in the same meet, same track and same weekend last year at Iowa State.
Also in the 400, junior Travis Anderson was .02 seconds off his indoor personal best (14th, 47.52), and junior A.K. Ikwuakor made his season debut (36th, 48.83).
Scherer and Anderson came back in the 4x400 relay with seniors Kedar Inico and Roderick Dotts to take fifth in an NCAA provisional time (3:09.35).
Complete results will eventually be posted to the Iowa State website.
Looking ahead past this weekend, the teams will see little action Fri.-Sat., Feb. 18-19, before they return to Seattle for the Mountain Pacific Championships, Fri.-Sat., Feb. 25-26.
Players Mentioned
