Team stand-outs seek to qualify for NCAA tournament play
By: Leslie Gaber
Issue date: 5/6/08 Section: Sports
With their second-place finish in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship last weekend, both the men's and women's track and field teams wrapped up the 2008 season. However, a few athletes are still competing as individuals in hopes of qualifying for the Div. III national competition.
Several team members traveled to IUPUI Saturday to participate in the Butler Twilight. Sophomore Alison Case posted an NCAA provisional time to potentially qualify her for the national competition. Case finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 11:10.06. The provisional time for the steeplechase is 11:13.00, meaning Case could be invited to compete at nationals unless enough runners post better times.
"I was really happy," Case said. "I still want to break 11 minutes."
Sophomore Lauren Reich has already posted an NCAA provisional time with a first-place finish in the 800-meter (2:14.86) April 18 at the Rose-Hulman Twilight.
Reich finished first in the 1,500-meter race Saturday (4:45.21), while senior Taylor Penrod placed tenth in the same event (5:06.60).
Also competing for DePauw in the Butler Twilight was senior Katie Gernand, who finished fifth in the women's 400-meter dash (1:03.83) and 13th in the 800-meter run (2:29.22).
The men's team also sent athletes to compete in the Butler Twilight. Senior Dusty Kime finished sixth in the 5K (15:11.41), while freshman Nick Pucillo came in 15th (15:33.07). Junior Lavaughn Johnson placed 12th in the men's 400-meter dash (51.64).
A few team members will run at the North Central Last Chance at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. this weekend.
Kime said he would be competing for personal reasons.
"I have the personal goal of beating my personal record … and hopefully breaking 15 minutes [in the 5K]," he said.
Coach Kori Stoffregen said Case and Reich will be trying for even faster times to increase their chances of qualifying for nationals.
Several team members traveled to IUPUI Saturday to participate in the Butler Twilight. Sophomore Alison Case posted an NCAA provisional time to potentially qualify her for the national competition. Case finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 11:10.06. The provisional time for the steeplechase is 11:13.00, meaning Case could be invited to compete at nationals unless enough runners post better times.
"I was really happy," Case said. "I still want to break 11 minutes."
Sophomore Lauren Reich has already posted an NCAA provisional time with a first-place finish in the 800-meter (2:14.86) April 18 at the Rose-Hulman Twilight.
Reich finished first in the 1,500-meter race Saturday (4:45.21), while senior Taylor Penrod placed tenth in the same event (5:06.60).
Also competing for DePauw in the Butler Twilight was senior Katie Gernand, who finished fifth in the women's 400-meter dash (1:03.83) and 13th in the 800-meter run (2:29.22).
The men's team also sent athletes to compete in the Butler Twilight. Senior Dusty Kime finished sixth in the 5K (15:11.41), while freshman Nick Pucillo came in 15th (15:33.07). Junior Lavaughn Johnson placed 12th in the men's 400-meter dash (51.64).
A few team members will run at the North Central Last Chance at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. this weekend.
Kime said he would be competing for personal reasons.
"I have the personal goal of beating my personal record … and hopefully breaking 15 minutes [in the 5K]," he said.
Coach Kori Stoffregen said Case and Reich will be trying for even faster times to increase their chances of qualifying for nationals.
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