PUEBLO, Colo. – The first day of action brought Minnesota State University Moorhead an All-American honor. Christopher Heil finished among the top as he and the Dragons competed in the first day of the 2012 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Pueblo, Colo., on May 24.
Three women and five men began the final track and field events of the season Thursday at the Neta and Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo. The three women all participated in individual events while the men took part in one individual and one relay events. It would not take long for a Dragon to be named an All-American after events began at 10:30 a.m.
Senior Christopher Heil earned his way to the hammer toss at the NCAA Championships thanks to a 61.79m throw. The qualifying toss was less than three weeks earlier at the Ron Masanz Invitational hosted by the Dragons. Heil improved his national qualifying toss when he took center stage Thursday. He ended his Dragon career in fourth after a throw of 63.86m. The personal best earned him the first All-American honor for the Dragons at the championships.
The men's 4x100m relay began hours later and almost did not happen for the Dragons. The team of Prentice Dervin, Uchenna Ogbonnaya, Laquone Robinson and Ryan Olson received a call late Monday afternoon. The call was to inform them that they would be making the trip to participate. The good news in the beginning of the week turned into a sour ending as the team finished 11th, two spots shy of qualifying for the finals. The relay team finished with a time of 41.17 to cap the outdoor season.
Anna VanWechel began the final process of her track career at MSUM during the preliminaries of 1500m run. The Fergus Falls, Minn., native qualified for the national event with a time of 4:22.19 earlier in the outdoor season. She placed herself in good positioning for the finals during preliminary action Thursday, finishing first with a time of 4:33.98. VanWechel will run her final race on Saturday when the 1500m run begins at 6:35 p.m. central time.
Also earning a spot to the finals was fellow senior Danielle Thompson. She qualified for the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:35.31 previously in the season. The Grand Forks, N.D., native finished as one of the last to qualify for the finals, taking place on Friday. An 11:22.67 time in the preliminaries gave Thompson an 11th place finish. The finals event, and Thompson's last as a Dragon, will begin Friday at 8:15 p.m. central time.
The youngest of the Dragons to qualify for the nationals was the last to perform on Thursday. Freshman Karlene Lorenz set up for the 400m hurdles preliminary at 8:40 p.m. central time. The young Dragon was unable to secure a spot in the finals as she finished the race in 1:02.24. Lorenz's preliminary time placed her in 12th, three spots shy of qualifying for the finals.
Day two of the outdoor championship action continues Friday when the Dragons will feature three event participants. Laquone Robinson will start for MSUM at 7:55 p.m. central time when he attempts to qualify for the finals in the 110m hurdles. Thompson will begin just after Robinson's event concludes in the finals of the women's 3000m steeplechase. The final event of the day in Pueblo will be the men's 4x400m relay. Olson, Lincoln Arnold, Aaron Lund and Clayton Foster will take the track in hopes of continuing their national championship hopes.
A schedule of events, full results, media coverage, tournament information and Dragons results can all be found
here.
Results:
Men /
Women
