Spring Break
TRACK: Falling short of NCAAs
by Mike Prada
Editor in Chief
Sports | 5/22/07
Posted online at 8:40 PM EST on 5/21/07
/ Last updated at 12:35 PM EST on 5/21/07
With one last chance to secure spots in the NCAA Championships, Matt Jennings '09 and Meaghan Casey '09 failed to make it out of their preliminary heats during the Last Chance Meet at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Friday, likely signaling the end of their outdoor track seasons.
Plagued by the inclement weather, Casey finished with a time of 2:17 in the 800-meter run, while Jennings finished the 1,500-meter run in 4:03.
"The conditions were awful, but I had an off day," Casey said. "I really didn't run my best."
Both still have a chance to make the NCAA Championships due to the provisional times-representing the minimum results needed to have a chance at qualifying-that they posted earlier in the season. Jennings posted his time of 3:55.09 at the University Athletic Association championships in Atlanta April 21-22, while Casey met the benchmark at the April 28 Brown Invitational with a time of 2:14.60. Since both Casey and Jennings barely reached the provisional qualifying time in their races at MIT, however, it's likely that runners who ran faster will be selected in their place.
Casey began her race quickly, positioning herself among the leaders after the first 400 meters. But she ran out of gas in the second lap and eventually fell behind many of the other runners.
"During the first 400, I felt great," Casey said. "Then, my legs started getting cold, and the girls behind me kicked before I did."
Casey eventually tried to pick up the pace, but by the time she started to speed up, the deficit was too much to overcome.
"[The other runners] were gone when I started my kick," Casey said. "I was surprised I even ran a 2:17."
Jennings came into this race with significant positive momentum. Besides his provisional qualifying time at UAAs, Jennings also finished second place in the 800 at the April 17 George Davis Invitational at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and was also part of a men's distance medley relay team that qualified for NCAA championships during the indoor track season this winter.
Dan Suher '08, Jennings' teammate, was impressed with his season despite disappointing results at MIT.
"[Jennings] had a very strong season, pretty much what his indoor track season suggested that he would be able to do," Suher said.
Assistant coach Peter Sampson noted that since Jennings only began running competitively during his junior year in high school, he is still relatively inexperienced and has plenty of time to hone his skills.
Jennings could not be reached for comment by presstime.
-Jacob Kamaras contributed reporting
Plagued by the inclement weather, Casey finished with a time of 2:17 in the 800-meter run, while Jennings finished the 1,500-meter run in 4:03.
"The conditions were awful, but I had an off day," Casey said. "I really didn't run my best."
Both still have a chance to make the NCAA Championships due to the provisional times-representing the minimum results needed to have a chance at qualifying-that they posted earlier in the season. Jennings posted his time of 3:55.09 at the University Athletic Association championships in Atlanta April 21-22, while Casey met the benchmark at the April 28 Brown Invitational with a time of 2:14.60. Since both Casey and Jennings barely reached the provisional qualifying time in their races at MIT, however, it's likely that runners who ran faster will be selected in their place.
Casey began her race quickly, positioning herself among the leaders after the first 400 meters. But she ran out of gas in the second lap and eventually fell behind many of the other runners.
"During the first 400, I felt great," Casey said. "Then, my legs started getting cold, and the girls behind me kicked before I did."
Casey eventually tried to pick up the pace, but by the time she started to speed up, the deficit was too much to overcome.
"[The other runners] were gone when I started my kick," Casey said. "I was surprised I even ran a 2:17."
Jennings came into this race with significant positive momentum. Besides his provisional qualifying time at UAAs, Jennings also finished second place in the 800 at the April 17 George Davis Invitational at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and was also part of a men's distance medley relay team that qualified for NCAA championships during the indoor track season this winter.
Dan Suher '08, Jennings' teammate, was impressed with his season despite disappointing results at MIT.
"[Jennings] had a very strong season, pretty much what his indoor track season suggested that he would be able to do," Suher said.
Assistant coach Peter Sampson noted that since Jennings only began running competitively during his junior year in high school, he is still relatively inexperienced and has plenty of time to hone his skills.
Jennings could not be reached for comment by presstime.
-Jacob Kamaras contributed reporting
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