University of Oregon
NCAA West Preliminary Rounds
Michel's School Record Leads 14 NCAA Semifinalists
05/28/11 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. - Claire Michel broke the school record in the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase for the third time this season to highlight 14 Ducks who advanced to the NCAA Championships June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa, by virtue of their performances Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds.
Before a enthusiastic Hayward Field crowd of 6,614 on a cool, but mostly dry day, Michel and Shalaya Kipp of Colorado engaged in a back-and-forth battle over the final two laps before Kipp edged ahead down the stretch to win heat three of the steeplechase in 10:00.03.
Michel, a senior from Clackamas, Ore., was next in 10:02.55, which lowered her own school record by more than two seconds. The Ducks made it a pair of NCAA Championships qualifiers in the event when freshman Lanie Thompson was third in heat two in a personal-best 10:06.83. That was the second-fastest time in school history.
Though she didn't advance to Des Moines, Taylor Wallace ran a personal-best 10:18.19 to finish seventh. The Klamath Falls, Ore., sophomore ran the third-fastest time in school history.
"I felt comfortable and the weather cooperated, which was really nice," said Michel. "I am excited to set a new PR."
Meanwhile in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase, national leader Steve Finley took charge of his race on the final lap and won his heat in 8:47.82.
"I love running at Hayward," said the senior transfer from Virginia. "I don't think I had to kick as hard as I predicted. I just want to win nationals and go on for the USA wearing the Oregon bib."
English Gardner and Amber Purvis both qualified for the national 100 meter semifinals. Gardner, a freshman from Voorhees, N.J., finished in a conservative 11.39.
"I decided to listen for once and I think it's going to pay off," said Gardner. "I'm going to my first NCAA championship. I'm really excited. I've got a lot of work to do and hopefully we'll come home with a 'W' from NCAAs."
Additionally in the 100, Mandy White was sixth in her heat in 11.79 and did not advance.
Purvis qualified for the NCAA Championships by finishing third in her 100 meter quarterfinal in 11.64. But the junior from Hercules, Calif., suffered an upper leg injury in the first round of the 200 meters and was forced to walk the final 150 meters to finish the race and retain her Championships' eligibility for the 100 meters and the relays.
"I have full confidence in Amber and believe that she will be ready to go when the time comes," said Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna. "We are hoping that it is just a cramp."
In some good news from the 200, White advanced to Saturday's quarterfinals on time after finishing fifth in her heat. The senior from Lake Oswego, Calif., ran 24.05.
Elijah Greer was the top qualifier for Des Moines in the men's 800 meters. The sophomore from Lake Oswego, Ore., steadily worked his way up the field down the backstretch, and then pulled away from the rest of the runners off the Boweman Curve.
He crossed the line in 1:45.98, which was a PR by more than a second and was the fifth-fastest time in school history.
"I wasn't sure what to expect," said Greer. "I was in good shape and knew I had to go hard and not slow down. I didn't want to kill it, just wanted to take it easy, pump my arms and go. I got a new PR out of it so it was great!
"1:45 for the NCAA is not bad and definitely gave me a huge confidence booster. I feel like I could have went faster but I am happy with how it went."
Freshman Boru Guyota finished sixth in his heat in 1:48.91 and was the fastest among the non-qualifiers.
Both Oregon runners moved on to Des Moines in the women's 800 meters. Laura Roesler was the runner-up in heat one in 2:03.12. That was four-hundredths of a second off a personal best for the freshman from Fargo, N.D., and was the seventh-fastest time in school history.
"I was just concerned with securing my spot," said Roesler. "Stephanie (Brown) made her move and I knew I had to go. I was close to my PR so I was happy.
"I love running with tough competitors and keeping up with them. I'm not sure if we pulled away at the end but we were neck and neck towards the finish."
Sophomore Anne Kesselring was third in 2:03.49 in that race won by Arkansas' Stephanie Brown, who crossed the tape with the second-fastest 800 in the nation this season, 2:02.59.
"The NCAA is really deep, especially in the women's 800 meters," said Kesselring. "There is really no favorite this year for the title, it's anybody's race and I want to be a factor just like anyone else on the track."
The women also advanced a pair of competitors in the women's pole vault. Senior Melissa Gergel cleared the top height on the day, 13-5.25/4.10m to advance to Des Moines. Jordan Roskelley also qualified for her first NCAA Championships by clearing that same height, which was an outdoor personal-best for the senior from Spokane, Wash. She moved to No. 6 on the UO top 10. Freshman Kortney Ross almost made it a trio of Ducks moving on to Iowa as she finished 13th at 13-3.5/4.05m.
Mike Berry cruised to the national semifinals in the men's 400 meters. The freshman from Seattle, Wash., was second in his heat in 45.95. Demetrius Pinder of Texas A&M won the heat in 45.82.
"I wanted to conserve my energy but still place in the top three," said Berry. "There are a lot of heats but I wanted to make sure that I advanced. I still had a lot of energy left but I tried to catch as many people as I could on the final stretch."
In the quarterfinal of the women's 400 meters, freshman Chizoba Okodogbe was fifth in the first heat in 53.15. But that proved to be the fastest heat of the afternoon and the freshman from Antioch, Calif., advanced to the national semifinal at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.
"I knew I had it in me, I knew it would just take time," said Okodogbe. "In the beginning of the season, I was a bit discouraged because I wasn't hitting my times, than I finally hit my stride and it all came together."
Jordan Stray wrapped the successful day for the Duck men by finishing fifth in the hammer to move on to Des Moines. The senior from Centralia, Wash., threw 214-7/65.41m.
Justin Frick became an NCAA finalist in the men's high jump, clearing three bars to finish in the top 12. The senior transfer from Princeton had best height of 6-11/2.11m.
Eric Hersey was third in his heat of the 110 meter hurdles and was an automatic qualifier for Saturday's quarterfinal. The junior from Los Altos, Calif., ran 14.28.
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