The William and Mary track and field programs begin racing at the NCAA Championships Thursday night, as eight Tribe athletes will compete against the best athletes from the East for a chance to advance and earn All-America honors. The College's weekend begins Thursday night with the men's 1,500m and 10,000m, with the 3,000m steeplechase racing on Friday night and the 5,000m on Saturday.
First Round of the National Championships
This is the second year of the current qualifying format for the NCAA Championships. Under the current guidelines, the top 48 athletes in the East Region (roughly from the Mississippi east, and including Louisiana) compete at one preliminary round and the top 48 in each event in the West compete at another site. The goal of the preliminary meet is to chop each field down to 12 athletes, allowing 24 athletes or relay teams to advance to the national finals site. Every event except the heptathlon and decathlon are contested at the preliminary meet, which functions as the first round, quarterfinals, and in some events semifinals of the NCAA Championships. In 2011, the East region is being hosted by Indiana University, the West by the University of Oregon, and the finals site by Drake University.
New All-American Standards
2011 marks the debut of a new system for awarding All-America certificates as well. In years past, the top eight finishers in each event, and the top-eight American-born finishers were all named All-Americans. Beginning this year, all 24 qualifiers to the finals site are automatically named "Honorable-Mention All-America." Athletes finishing 9th-16th are upgraded to "Second-Team All-America," and the top eight finishers are further upgraded to "All-America."
No NCAA for Brandon Heroux
Unfortunately, junior Brandon Heroux (Westfield, N.J.) saw his season come to an end after tearing a muscle in his throwing forearm at the IC4A Championships. Heroux was ranked sixth in the East and 12th in the nation this season in the javelin, throwing a school-record 73.09 meters (239-9) to win the Penn Relays in April and also winning the Colonial Relays, CAA Championship, and IC4A Championship. The injury typically takes 4-6 weeks of rest and therapy to heal, which could allow Heroux to return in time for the U.S. National Championships in late June.
Men's 1,500m
First Round - Thursday at 5 PM
Four Heats of 12, Top Five in Each and Four Fastest Times Advance
Quarterfinals - Saturday at 6:45 PM
Two Heats of 12, Top Five in Each and Two Fastest Times Advance
Senior Brian Sklodowski (Newark, Del.) is seeded 12th in the 1,500m, after running an outstanding 3:44.39 two weeks ago at Swarthmore. The CAA Champion at 1,500m this year, Sklodowski previous ran at the NCAA Regionals in 2008.
Men's 10,000m
Semifinals - Thursday at 9:15 PM
One Heat of 48, Top 12 Finishers Advance
The Tribe has four men lined up in the 10,000m, led by redshirt-freshman Josh Hardin (Sterling, Va.) who checks in at No. 26. Hardin ran 29:49.39 over a month ago at the Mt. SAC Relays, and was second at the CAA Championships three weeks ago. Senior Jon Grey (Lancaster, Pa.) is back in the NCAA Championships for the third year in a row, after timing 29:56.18 at the Penn Relays this spring. He was 20th in the nation in 2009 at 10,000m, but was forced to bow in the semifinal round last year with a leg injury. Classmate Ben Massam (Chatham, N.J.) is making his NCAA Championships debut, and has a season-best time of 29:59.08 from the Mt. SAC Relays. Rounding out the quartet is Alex McGrath (Marlborough, N.H.), who is also making his NCAA debut two weeks after winning the CAA title at 10,000m.
Men's 3,000m Steeplechase
Quarterfinals - Friday at 9:10 PM
Three Heats of 16, Top Three in Each and Three Fastest Times Advance
Junior Liam Anastasia-Murphy (Gloucester, Mass.) enters the steeplechase quarterfinals on an upswing, after turning in a season-fast time of 9:01.68 to earn All-East honors at the IC4A Championships two weeks ago. The runner-up at the CAA Championships, Anastasia-Murphy was also a preliminary-qualifier last year.
Women's 5,000m
Semifinals - Saturday at 8:05 PM
Two Heats of 24, Top Five in Each and Two Fastest Times Advance
Freshman Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.) will continue her outstanding rookie campaign with an appearance in the 5,000m national semifinals. She is seeded 20th in the race with her Tribe freshman record of 16:22.05, with the 12th-seed less than nine seconds ahead. She is just the second female freshman to qualify for the NCAA Championships in W&M school history, joining Laurie Sturgell who placed 19th in the 10,000m in 1997.
Men's 5,000m
Semifinals - Saturday at 8:45 PM
Two Heats of 24, Top Five in Each and Two Fastest Times Advance
In the 5,000m, Lewis Woodard (Charlotte, N.C.) is making his second consecutive appearance in the national semifinals. Last year, he was 20th in the East, just nine seconds from the final advancement spot. Woodard ran a season-best 14:02.75 two weeks ago at the IC4A Championships, which currently ranks 27th in the region.
First Round of the National Championships
This is the second year of the current qualifying format for the NCAA Championships. Under the current guidelines, the top 48 athletes in the East Region (roughly from the Mississippi east, and including Louisiana) compete at one preliminary round and the top 48 in each event in the West compete at another site. The goal of the preliminary meet is to chop each field down to 12 athletes, allowing 24 athletes or relay teams to advance to the national finals site. Every event except the heptathlon and decathlon are contested at the preliminary meet, which functions as the first round, quarterfinals, and in some events semifinals of the NCAA Championships. In 2011, the East region is being hosted by Indiana University, the West by the University of Oregon, and the finals site by Drake University.
New All-American Standards
2011 marks the debut of a new system for awarding All-America certificates as well. In years past, the top eight finishers in each event, and the top-eight American-born finishers were all named All-Americans. Beginning this year, all 24 qualifiers to the finals site are automatically named "Honorable-Mention All-America." Athletes finishing 9th-16th are upgraded to "Second-Team All-America," and the top eight finishers are further upgraded to "All-America."
No NCAA for Brandon Heroux
Unfortunately, junior Brandon Heroux (Westfield, N.J.) saw his season come to an end after tearing a muscle in his throwing forearm at the IC4A Championships. Heroux was ranked sixth in the East and 12th in the nation this season in the javelin, throwing a school-record 73.09 meters (239-9) to win the Penn Relays in April and also winning the Colonial Relays, CAA Championship, and IC4A Championship. The injury typically takes 4-6 weeks of rest and therapy to heal, which could allow Heroux to return in time for the U.S. National Championships in late June.
Men's 1,500m
First Round - Thursday at 5 PM
Four Heats of 12, Top Five in Each and Four Fastest Times Advance
Quarterfinals - Saturday at 6:45 PM
Two Heats of 12, Top Five in Each and Two Fastest Times Advance
Senior Brian Sklodowski (Newark, Del.) is seeded 12th in the 1,500m, after running an outstanding 3:44.39 two weeks ago at Swarthmore. The CAA Champion at 1,500m this year, Sklodowski previous ran at the NCAA Regionals in 2008.
Men's 10,000m
Semifinals - Thursday at 9:15 PM
One Heat of 48, Top 12 Finishers Advance
The Tribe has four men lined up in the 10,000m, led by redshirt-freshman Josh Hardin (Sterling, Va.) who checks in at No. 26. Hardin ran 29:49.39 over a month ago at the Mt. SAC Relays, and was second at the CAA Championships three weeks ago. Senior Jon Grey (Lancaster, Pa.) is back in the NCAA Championships for the third year in a row, after timing 29:56.18 at the Penn Relays this spring. He was 20th in the nation in 2009 at 10,000m, but was forced to bow in the semifinal round last year with a leg injury. Classmate Ben Massam (Chatham, N.J.) is making his NCAA Championships debut, and has a season-best time of 29:59.08 from the Mt. SAC Relays. Rounding out the quartet is Alex McGrath (Marlborough, N.H.), who is also making his NCAA debut two weeks after winning the CAA title at 10,000m.
Men's 3,000m Steeplechase
Quarterfinals - Friday at 9:10 PM
Three Heats of 16, Top Three in Each and Three Fastest Times Advance
Junior Liam Anastasia-Murphy (Gloucester, Mass.) enters the steeplechase quarterfinals on an upswing, after turning in a season-fast time of 9:01.68 to earn All-East honors at the IC4A Championships two weeks ago. The runner-up at the CAA Championships, Anastasia-Murphy was also a preliminary-qualifier last year.
Women's 5,000m
Semifinals - Saturday at 8:05 PM
Two Heats of 24, Top Five in Each and Two Fastest Times Advance
Freshman Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.) will continue her outstanding rookie campaign with an appearance in the 5,000m national semifinals. She is seeded 20th in the race with her Tribe freshman record of 16:22.05, with the 12th-seed less than nine seconds ahead. She is just the second female freshman to qualify for the NCAA Championships in W&M school history, joining Laurie Sturgell who placed 19th in the 10,000m in 1997.
Men's 5,000m
Semifinals - Saturday at 8:45 PM
Two Heats of 24, Top Five in Each and Two Fastest Times Advance
In the 5,000m, Lewis Woodard (Charlotte, N.C.) is making his second consecutive appearance in the national semifinals. Last year, he was 20th in the East, just nine seconds from the final advancement spot. Woodard ran a season-best 14:02.75 two weeks ago at the IC4A Championships, which currently ranks 27th in the region.
