AUSTIN, Texas – The Drake University track and field team's season came to an end on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary despite strong performances over three days of competition at the University of Texas' Mike A. Myers Stadium.
Drake's seven preliminary qualifiers missed making the final fields for the NCAA Championships, but all seven capped extremely strong seasons for the Bulldogs.
On the track, freshman Mary Young (Urbandale, Iowa) tried to add to her tremendous debut season by qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the 100-meter hurdle quarterfinals. Young, the school record holder in the event, fell just short of that goal with a time of 13.76 to finish 21st in the quarterfinal heats. The top three finishers in each of the three heats and the next three fastest times advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Saturday's action began in the triple jump with school record holder Kayla Bell (Bolingbrook, Ill.) hitting a jump of 37-3.75 on her first jump, but missing the board on her next two attempts to finish 48th in the preliminary field. Johnathan Osifuye (Woodbury, Minn.) recorded a jump of 46-10.75 to finish 46th in the men's competition.
Drake's final NCAA West Preliminary competitor, Emma Huston (Des Moines, Iowa), ran her second fastest 5,000 meters of the season in 17:10.92. However, that finish put the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Elite 18 Award winner in 37th place with the top 12 finishers advancing to the NCAA Championships.
NCAA West Preliminary – Austin, Texas
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Drake Results
Women's 5,000 Meters
37. Emma Huston, 17:10.92
Women's 100-Meter Hurdles (Quarterfinals)
21. Mary Young, 13.76
Women's Triple Jump
48. Kayla Bell, 37-3.75
Men's Triple Jump
46. Johnathan Osifuye, 46-10.75
