Loughlin To Join Duke Contingent At NCAA Championships

Saturday, May 30

Greensboro, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day Two

Loughlin To Join Duke Contingent At NCAA Championships

5/30/2009 9:45:00 PM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Duke senior Patricia Loughlin tonight became the third Duke athlete to qualify for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, as she notched the necessary top-five finish to secure an automatic bid in the steeplechase during day two of the NCAA East Regional.

Loughlin ran to second place in the 3000m race, clocking 10:10.61 ? her second-fastest run of the season. That mark also broke the old facility record in the event at Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T University.

In other Regionals action, sophomore Cory Nanni finished seventh in the finals of the men's 1500m in a lifetime best 3:43.09, moving him into fourth all-time at Duke in the event and breaking the facility record at NC A&T. By earning a top-12 finish, Nanni still has a chance to qualify for nationals, as the 6th-12th place finishers in each event at the regional meets will be pooled to fill the remaining spots.

Mike Schallmo also earned a top-12 finish, taking 11th place in the discus with a throw of 169-7. That mark was good for fourth in his flight and was less than four feet off his school record distance of 173-3 logged earlier this outdoor season.

Senior Molly Lehman was 11th in the finals of the women's 1500m, as she ran 4:34.90 on the day. Lehman was tripped up with 250 meters remaining in her race at Regionals, but finished the race and will be looking for one of the at-large bids.

Ryan McDermott finished 18th in the men's steeplechase, running 9:19.28.

In team scoring, the Duke women finished tied for 26th in the region with eight team points, while the men were tied for 28th with eight as well.

Loughlin will join fellow seniors Jade Ellis (long jump) and Tyler Clarke (decathlon) at nationals June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark. The at-large bids will be announced Monday, with the three other Blue Devils looking to join their teammates on the national stage.

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