University of Minnesota Athletics
Duwell Earns NCAA Championships Berth in 10K
5/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Golden Gopher senior Megan Duwell advanced to the NCAA Championships field in the 10,000-meter run with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA West Preliminary Round meet in Austin, Texas on Thursday.
The race was moved back 45 minutes to offset the Texas heat but the temperature still read 82 degrees when the gun sounded at 9:45 p.m.
Duwell ran a consistent pace for much of the 25-lap marathon race. She hung around the 20th position midway through the race, then began to pass runners as the race progressed. The two-time Big Ten champion ran a time of 34 minutes, 31.04 seconds.
Five other Gophers advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA West Prelims, including two in a pair of events.
Gabriele Anderson ran the second-fastest time of her career – 4:20.85 - in placing second in her heat of the 1,500-meter run. She is the fifth-fastest qualifier. Anderson led briefly in the final lap but eased up in the final 20 meters to grab second place. The top five finishers in each heat automatically advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinal.
Nikki Swenson was the final qualifier into the quarterfinal field. She ran a time of 4:26.14.
Sprinters Kylie Peterson and Adrienne Thomas advanced to Friday’s 100-meter dash quarterfinal. Peterson finished second in her heat and collected the 11th-fastest time in the first round clocking a time of 11.73 seconds. Thomas ran a time of 11.85 seconds and placed sixth in her heat to earn the 22nd quarterfinal qualifying mark. Twenty-four runners will compete in the quarterfinal.
Kelly Stalpes advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal in the 400-meter hurdles. Stalpes placed fourth in her heat with a time of 59.72 seconds.
The Gophers had several athletes compete in the NCAA First Round. Amy Laskowske and Mallory Van Ness joined Duwell in the 10,000 meters field. Laskowske finished 15th in 35:02.08, while Van Ness was 25th in 35:41.63.
Elizabeth Yetzer and Kathryn Ritter ran the 1,500 meters with Yetzer placing 36th overall in 4:32.91 and Ritter 37th in 4:33.61.
Jamie Dittmar and Alena Brooks both placed fifth in their respective heats of the 800 meters. Dittmar finished 27th overall in 2:09.13, while Brooks was 37th in 2:10.85.
Becca Pilkerton was the only one of the three Gopher pole vaulters to make a height. Pilkerton cleared a career-best height of 12-11 1/2 to finish 22nd overall. The height needed to advance to the NCAA Championships was 13-7 1/4. Alicia Rue missed three attempts at her opening height of 12-3 1/2, while Samantha Sonnenberg was unable to clear her opening height of 12-9 1/2.
The NCAA West Preliminary Round meet continues through Saturday.
The race was moved back 45 minutes to offset the Texas heat but the temperature still read 82 degrees when the gun sounded at 9:45 p.m.
Duwell ran a consistent pace for much of the 25-lap marathon race. She hung around the 20th position midway through the race, then began to pass runners as the race progressed. The two-time Big Ten champion ran a time of 34 minutes, 31.04 seconds.
Five other Gophers advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA West Prelims, including two in a pair of events.
Gabriele Anderson ran the second-fastest time of her career – 4:20.85 - in placing second in her heat of the 1,500-meter run. She is the fifth-fastest qualifier. Anderson led briefly in the final lap but eased up in the final 20 meters to grab second place. The top five finishers in each heat automatically advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinal.
Nikki Swenson was the final qualifier into the quarterfinal field. She ran a time of 4:26.14.
Sprinters Kylie Peterson and Adrienne Thomas advanced to Friday’s 100-meter dash quarterfinal. Peterson finished second in her heat and collected the 11th-fastest time in the first round clocking a time of 11.73 seconds. Thomas ran a time of 11.85 seconds and placed sixth in her heat to earn the 22nd quarterfinal qualifying mark. Twenty-four runners will compete in the quarterfinal.
Kelly Stalpes advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal in the 400-meter hurdles. Stalpes placed fourth in her heat with a time of 59.72 seconds.
The Gophers had several athletes compete in the NCAA First Round. Amy Laskowske and Mallory Van Ness joined Duwell in the 10,000 meters field. Laskowske finished 15th in 35:02.08, while Van Ness was 25th in 35:41.63.
Elizabeth Yetzer and Kathryn Ritter ran the 1,500 meters with Yetzer placing 36th overall in 4:32.91 and Ritter 37th in 4:33.61.
Jamie Dittmar and Alena Brooks both placed fifth in their respective heats of the 800 meters. Dittmar finished 27th overall in 2:09.13, while Brooks was 37th in 2:10.85.
Becca Pilkerton was the only one of the three Gopher pole vaulters to make a height. Pilkerton cleared a career-best height of 12-11 1/2 to finish 22nd overall. The height needed to advance to the NCAA Championships was 13-7 1/4. Alicia Rue missed three attempts at her opening height of 12-3 1/2, while Samantha Sonnenberg was unable to clear her opening height of 12-9 1/2.
The NCAA West Preliminary Round meet continues through Saturday.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Track & Field
MD
/ Women's Track & Field
MD
/ Women's Track & Field
MD
/ Women's Track & Field
DIST
/ Women's Track & Field
SPR
/ Women's Track & Field
PV
/ Women's Track & Field
DIST
/ Women's Track & FieldPV
/ Women's Track & Field
PV
/ Women's Track & Field
JU/SPR
/ Women's Track & Field
DIST
/ Women's Track & Field
JU/SPR
/ Women's Track & FieldDIST
/ Women's Track & Field
DIST
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