By Gavin Lapaille
The University of Louisville track and field program competed in the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind. this past weekend. The two-day meet was one of six NCAA qualifying meets in the nation over the weekend and the last chance for the U of L athletes to qualify for the NCAA indoor championship. The meet’s highlights included two wins and a new school record for the Cards.
“This was a really great meet for us here at Notre Dame,” said U of L head coach Ron Mann. “I’m proud of our guys.”
The No. 7 men’s squad saw sophomore Andre Black and senior Wesley Korir win their events. Black and fellow sophomore jumper Rudon Bastian finished 1-2 in the long jump as both set NCAA provisional marks with their jumps. Black, who is also an NCAA provisional qualifier in the triple jump with the nation’s fifth furthest jump, went 24 feet 4.5 inches, while Bastian leaped 24 feet 2.5 inches.
Korir pulled off the second win for the Cards in the 5,000m, dominating the field with a NCAA provisional time of 13:53.85, 13 seconds faster than anyone else in the field. Korir’s time was just a little more than a second slower than his school record time set earlier in the year.
Senior thrower Arthur Turland threw an NCAA provisional mark of 64-01.75 in the weight throw to capture third. Turland currently holds the sixth furthest throw in the event this season.
“I’m fairly confident [Black and Turland] will qualify for the NCAA indoor championships with their provisional marks,” said Mann.
The women’s team received a second place finish from freshman Theresa Lewis in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.44. Lewis had already set NCAA provisional times prior to this meet but was unable to improve her time.
Sophomore Seidre Forde broke her own school record in the triple jump after a leap of 41 feet .5 inches to take fifth in the meet. Forde’s previous school record was 40-11.00 at the Southern Illinois University Fast Start Invitational earlier this season.
“Although we did not improve our national rankings, we maintained them and that is a great thing for our program,” said Mann.
Sophomore jumper Tone Belt did not participate, as he is the lone U of L automatic qualifier for the NCAA indoor championship, qualifying in the long jump with the nation’s best mark of the season. Belt is also a NCAA provisional qualifier in the high jump and triple jump.
Senior thrower Emily Turland and junior thrower ZeNai Savage also did not compete, as both have NCAA provisional marks in the weight throw and shot put respectively.
All Cardinals who qualify will move on to the NCAA indoor championship March 9-10 in Fayetteville, Ark. at the Randal Tyson Track Center. U of L has one automatic qualifier and ten provisional qualifiers for the meet. The indoor championship will close out the indoor season for the Cards, with both squads opening their outdoor seasons with the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., March 16-17.
