SCHEDULE
RESULTS/HEAT SHEETS
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ALLENDALE, Mich. (May 21, 2015) – Freshmen Rachael Lopez (Fort Lupton, Colo.) and Derrick Williams (Columbia Falls, Mont.) of the Colorado State University-Pueblo men's and women's track and field teams will be running in the 1500 meter finals at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday, as they qualified in preliminary races Thursday.
Freshmen Alyssa Evans (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Dueth Vassell (Denver, Colo.) each ran in the 400 meter dash, but didn't advance to the finals after finishing 14th and 12th, respectively,
Lopez started Day 1 of the Championships for the ThunderWolves, as she ran a time of 4:32.60 in the 1500m to earn the 12th and final qualifying time for the finals, set to run Saturday at 2:25 p.m. MT. She was sixth in heat number two and finished 2.4 seconds faster than 13th place. Saturday will be her first NCAA Championship finals experience.
Williams automatically qualified for the finals by finishing second in his heat with a time of 3:51.15. The time was the second fastest in the field, as the first six places came out of the first heat. Adams State University freshman Oliver Aitchison, who owned the fastest time entering the Championships was seventh, as he won the second heat. Williams finished second at the indoor national championships in the 1500 meter run and will compete for a title Saturday at 2:35 p.m. MT.
Both Lopez and Williams will have to finish in the top eight of the 12-athlete 1500 meter finals to score points for the team and earn All-American honors.
Evans ran the 400m in 55.88 to finish fifth in the third heat and 13th overall, missing a trip to the finals by 0.45 seconds. She was one of three freshmen in the field and entered the race tied for 13th with a time of 55.06, set at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships where she placed second. Evans wraps her freshman track season as an all-region selection and All-RMAC First Team member.
Vassell ran the 400m in 48.03 to finish fourth in his heat and 12th overall. The athletes that finished in the top three in his heat went 2-3-4 overall. He was off a qualifying mark by 0.59 seconds. Vassell was one of two freshmen in the field and ranked No. 11 entering the race. The all-region performer ran a winning time of 47.24 at the RMAC Championships May 3 to earn All-RMAC First Team honors.
Friday, the duo of junior Dante Carter (Las Vegas, Nev.) and freshman Devundrick Walker (Aurora, Colo.) will run together in the first heat of the 800 meter run prelims at 4:15 p.m. Carter used the Colorado School of Mines Last Chance Meet (May 9) to post an automatic time of 1:48.50 in the 800m and holds down the fourth fastest time in the race. He was an all-region selection by the USTFCCCA. Walker is one of two freshmen in the field and ranks 16th after a time of 1:50.39 at the RMAC Championships, which earned him All-RMAC First Team honors. The top two in each of the three heats and the next three fastest times make up the finals heat, set to run Saturday at 1:55 p.m.
The NCAA Championships are held May 21-23 at the Grand Valley State University Track and Field Stadium in Allendale, Michigan and hosted by GVSU and the West Michigan Sports Commission.
Portions of the championships will be streamed live on NCAA.com. For the complete schedule, visit - http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule
For the schedule of events, live results and heat sheets, click HERE.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
