Bradley University Athletics

Braves Head to California for NCAA Track West Preliminary

Track & Field 5/22/2019 2:59:00 PM

Five members of the Bradley track team start their quest for an NCAA Championship this week by competing at the NCAA Track & Field West Preliminary. The Braves are set for action on the campus of Sacramento State on Thursday and Friday night.

MEET INFO & BRAVES LINEUP
Junior Scott Seymour and sophomore Alec Hartman get the action started in Sacramento with the first round of the 800m on Thursday night. The first heat in the event starts at 10:35 p.m. CT with the top three runners from each section plus the next six best times qualifying for Friday's quarterfinal round. If either Seymour or Hartman advance, they will compete for a spot for championship rounds on Friday, beginning at 8:45 p.m. The quarterfinals feature three heats of eight with the top three from each race plus the next three fastest times advancing to Texas.

Also on Thursday night is the 10,000m semifinals, which will feature senior Michael Ward and junior Jake Hoffert. The race begins at 11:40 p.m. CT with the top 12 runners advancing to the NCAA Championship in two weeks.

Senior Haran Dunderdale will then open action at Sacramento on Friday with the 3,000m steeplechase semifinals at 11 p.m. CT. The steeplechase is split into three heats with the top three finishers from each section and the next three best times advancing to the championship in Austin.

BRAVES AT NCAA REGIONAL
Four of the five Braves competing this weekend have previously run at the NCAA West Preliminary with only Seymour making his debut.

Last season, Hartman led BU by advancing to the quarterfinals of the 800m and finishing as the top freshman in the West Region with a school-record time of 1:49.72. Dunderdale is also making his second-straight appearance (and third overall) in the steeplechase. Last year, he placed 31st in the region with a 26th-place finish in 2016.

Hoffert is making his second trip to the preliminary in the 10,000m (did not finish in 2017), while Ward is making his debut in the event after previously running in the 1,500m and 5,000m in three previous trips.

UP NEXT
Any of the five Braves that finish in the top 12 in their respective event advances to the championship rounds in Austin, Texas from June 5-8.

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