Beavers off to NCAA regional
May 24, 2016 | Women's Track & Field
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Four members of the Oregon State track & field team will compete at the NCAA West Preliminary meet at the University of Kansas this Thursday through Saturday.
Senior Sara Almen is qualified in the high jump; junior Melissa Ausman is qualified in the discus; junior Devin Collins is qualified in the 100 and 400 hurdles, and Morgan Anderson (pictured) is qualified in the 1500.
The top 12 finishers in each event advance to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for June 8-11 at Hayward Field in Eugene.
“The most important thing about this group is the variety,” OSU coach Kelly Sullivan said in describing OSU's largest contingent to regionals since the program's rebirth from an 18-year hiatus in the 2005-06 academic year.
“We have a thrower, a jumper, a sprint hurdler and a middle-distance runner. When we first started, we were only qualifying in the distance events. Now we are just a relay short, and a multi-event person short, and we'll get that next year.”
All four athletes have competed at the regional level in the past. Almen tied for 22nd in 2013; Anderson placed 28th in 2015 and Ausman took 30th while competing for the Beavers. Collins went in 2014 while running at Sacramento State.
“All four have been there before, which is good,” OSU coach Kelly Sullivan said. “The surprise of it, the size of it won't affect them. It is a huge meet, 48 athletes in each event, and it can be overwhelming.”
Ausman is seeded 19th in the discus with a mark of 176-10.75. She will compete at 10 a.m. on Friday. The top 24 finishers after three throws will advance and receive three more throws to determine the final 12 qualifiers.
“I know she is dying to throw; she has another big PR in her,” Sullivan said. “She is a tough kid and she's had a great outdoor season.
“She's won two major invitationals [Sun Angel Classic, Oregon Relays] and came back to win those events on her last throw. At Pac-12s she went from eighth to forth on her last throw.
“I know she wasn't satisfied. She has more in there and I'm very proud of the season she's had.”
Almen is seeded 21st in the high jump at 5-9.25; she competes at 3 p.m. on Friday. Competition in the high jump will cease once the 12 NCAA qualifiers are determined.
“I think Sara is very confident,” Sullivan said. “She has as good a chance as anybody” to advance. “She has worked very hard coming back from a knee injury” suffered in the 2013 regionals. “She is ready to go back to a regional meet and to flip history.”
Collins is seeded 23rd in the 400 hurdles (58.64) and 33rd in the 100 hurdles (13.46). The first round of the 100 hurdles is at 3 p.m. Friday; the top 24 advance to the second round at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday. The first round of the 400 hurdles is at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday; the top 24 advance to the second round at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
“What an exciting year,” for Collins, who redshirted in 2015 after transferring from Sacramento State, Sullivan said. “It has been awesome to have someone in both hurdles races to be as competitive as she's been.
“Never underestimate what she is capable of doing. On paper her best chance to advance is probably in the 400, but she has upside in both events. Her advantage will be running just one qualifying race both days, instead of having multiple rounds in one day.”
Anderson is seeded 38th in the 1500 (4:22.94). The first round of the 1500 is at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday; the top 24 advance to the second round at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
“Morgan had a great Pac-12 meet and she is coming off that with a lot of confidence,” Sullivan said. “She feels like she has more to do, and more to prove.”
Collins and Ausman are the OSU record-holders in their respective events. Anderson ranks No. 2 all-time in the 1500, behind All-American Laura Carlyle, and Almen is No. 6 in the high jump.
Carlyle is the most recent Beaver to advance to the NCAA championships. She placed 24th in the 5,000 in 2011 and 22nd in the 1500 in 2012, and earned honorable-mention All-American honors in both instances.
“Laura showed it can be done,” Sullivan said. “Sometimes it's just making that final push. You have to be determined.”
For more information on the Oregon State track and field program, follow the Beavers on Facebook at Facebook.com/OSUTrackCrossCountry, or on Twitter at twitter.com/@beavers_track.
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