Five Eagles Qualify for NCAA II Outdoor Championships

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University of Southern Indiana Track & Field will send four men’s runner and one women’s runner to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships May 25-27 in Bradenton, Florida.

Junior Bastian Grau (Höchstadt, Germany) led the way for the Screaming Eagles with bids in two separate events. After a national championship in the mile during the indoor season, Grau will try to add to his collection, competing in the 1,500-meters and 5,000-meters. He is seeded fourth in the 1,500-meters and fifth in the 5,000-meters.

Two USI runners qualified for the 3,000-meter steeplechase as junior James Cecil (Owensboro, Kentucky) nabbed the 20th and final qualifying spot. It will be Cecil’s first appearance in an NCAA II Track & Field Championship event. Senior Chase Broughton (Marengo, Indiana) will also compete in the event and is currently seeded 11th.

Also making his first appearance in an NCAA II Track & Field Championship event, senior Noah Lutz (Evansville, Indiana) owns the 12th-fastest time in the 10,000-meters.

The lone women’s runner to advance to the NCAA II Outdoor Championships is junior Jessica Lincoln (Palatine, Indiana). Lincoln is the third Eagle set to make their first appearance in an NCAA II Track & Field Championship event. She will compete in the 10,000-meters where she is timed as the 19th-seed in the event.

Preliminaries for the 1,500-meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase will take place Thursday, May 25 with finals for the steeplechase on Friday, May 26 and finals for the 1,500-meters on Saturday, May 27. Lincoln and Lutz will compete in the finals of the 10,000-meters to end Thursday’s events. Grau will compete in the 5,000-meter final on Saturday.