Runners Vie For Bids to NCAA Champs

Select athletes competed at this weekend’s Last Chance Qualifier in Seattle, Wash. for the opportunity to race at NCAA Championships next week. Although only one runner qualified for nationals at the University of Washington meet, the Lions managed to break school records and deliver quality performances.

Senior Carmen Ballard was the only runner to qualify at the meet, finishing the one-mile race in 4:46.59. Ballard met the provisional qualifying standard for the event and broke the previous school record held by Susan Hendrick, CC ’07, by three seconds. Fellow senior Erika Moses was the other women’s team member to compete, winning both the 200-meter and 400-meter races. Moses, however, failed to race an NCAA qualifying time.

Senior Liam Boylan-Pett was the second record-breaking runner for the Lions, finishing the one-mile race in 4:04.64. Boylan-Pett came in in fifth place and dashed the 2000 school record of 4:06.32. Senior Jonah Rathbun, sophomore Mike Mark, and freshman Jeff Moriarty all competed in the 800-meter race, with Mark coming in second, Moriarty placing third, and Rathbun placing fifth.

The Light Blue qualifiers will head to Arkansas to compete at NCAA Championships this weekend. A full list of competitors will be released tonight.