Despite improving national rankings, no Chippewas advance to nationals
The magic number for the Chippewa track and field teams over the weekend was 12.
At the 2016 Outdoor Track and Field East Regional Preliminary Championships, Central Michigan took a program best 12 athletes. The goal for these athletes was to place within the top 12 in their events to advance to the Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 8-11.
No Chippewas advanced to the NCAA Championships this year, but the vast majority of athletes improved their rankings at the preliminary meet.
The meet this weekend was held in Jacksonville, Florida at the University of North Florida. To qualify for the meet, athletes had to be ranked in the top 48 based on marks.
The CMU athletes who qualified for the first time were junior Kelly Schubert in the 10,000 meter run, sophomore Shane Moffo in the 110 meter hurdles, senior Alyssa Dyer in the steeplechase, redshirt freshman Kevin Weiler in the shot, freshman Jake Peister in the triple jump, junior Kyleigh Young in the javelin and sophomore Sam Wagner in the pole vault.
Junior Ziemowit Dutkiewicz (400 meter hurdles), Dylan Banagis (hammer throw and discus) and Kylee Dobbelaeare (hammer throw) competed in the prelims last year and have made it back this year.
Senior throwers Cole Walderzak in the hammer and discus and Devene Brown in the shot put made it to the NCAA Championships last year and were looking to advance again this year.
Thursdays Results:
Walderzak (64.16 meters) and Banagis (63.11 meters) finished in 20th and 24th respectively in the men’s hammer throw. Walderzak went into the meet ranked 19th and Banagis was ranked 41st.
Wagner finished in 34th in the men’s pole vault with a vault of 5.00 meters. Wagner was ranked 39th coming into the meet.
Dobbelaere, ranked 34th prior to the meet, finished in 26th in the women’s hammer with a throw of 56.36 meters.
Schubert finished in 35th in the women’s 10,000 meter run with a time of 36:03.79. She was ranked 41st going into the meet.
Young finished in 39th in the women’s javelin with her throw of 39.60 meters. Young was not initially ranked in the top 48, until a medical scratch opened a spot for her in the East Prelims.
Fridays Results:
Walderzak (55.46 meters) also took 17th in the men’s discus barely missing out on the NCAA Championships. Banagis (50.12 meters) finished in 39th. Walderzak was ranked 10th and Banagis was ranked 39th in the event prior to the meet.
Dutkiewicz finished in 20th overall in the men’s 400 meter hurdles with a time of 52.04 seconds. Dutkiewicz was ranked 41st going into the meet.
Dyer finished in 27th in the steeplechase with a time of 10:28.84. Dyer was ranked 23rd heading into the meet.
Saturdays Results:
Moffo (14.03 seconds) finished seventh in his heat and 20th overall in the 110 meter hurdles. He was ranked 41st prior to the meet.
Peister (15.30 meters) finished in 10th in his heat and 38th overall in the men’s triple jump. He came in ranked 47th.
Brown took fourth place in her heat with her throw of 15.58 meters. She did not advance to the championship round. Brown was ranked 26th going into the meet.
Weiler finished in 47th in the men’s shot put with a throw of 14.98 meters. He was ranked 38th going into the meet.
