McNeill, 10 Lumberjacks Collect Big Sky Qualifying Times

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – David McNeill picked up where he left off in 2009. The second-place finisher at the NCAA Cross Country Championships this past fall blazed past the field today in the  mile run, as the Northern Arizona track and field team swept the Friday Night Challenge Saturday Afternoon. The Australia native ran a 4:10.15 in the event, and with the altitude adjustment nearly cracked the sub-four minute barrier.

“I didn’t feel well during the week, but I felt better today,” said McNeill, who owns the best conference time in the event. “It was a bit of a breakthrough and a confidence booster. Today indicated to me that I am adjusting well to the altitude after being at sea level over the break.”

McNeill was one of 11 Lumberjacks who qualified for the Big Sky Indoor Championships that will be held Feb. 26-27 in Bozeman, Mont.

Six more distance runners collected qualifying marks Saturday, including Nell Rojas in the mile (5:12.44), Darius Terry (1:54.52) and John Yatsko (1:55.61) in the 800m and Simon Gilna (8:55.25), Ahmed Osman (8:58.15) and Andrew Belus (9:04.12) in the 3,000m event.

Two more throwers added qualifying marks for the Lumberjacks. Andres Rossini (16.20m, 53-01.75) and Shelby McCray (16.40m, 53-09.75) both met the required distance in the weight throw.

Edgar Panford (13.98m, 45-10.5) and Charles White (14.89m, 48-10.25) both qualified in the triple jump event, with White also collecting a qualifying mark in the long jump (7.08m, 23-02.75). The two marks for White are good enough for first in the Big Sky standings in both events.

With the meet postponed a day due to the heavy snowstorms that Flagstaff experienced in the past week, Interim Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Eric Heins was glad to be able to have competition come to the Skydome, and was proud of how his team performed.

“We had a lot of new conference qualifiers and improvements from last weekend’s open meet,” Heins said. “Being our second meet in January it is definitely where we want to be in terms of moving towards the Big Sky Championships. We still have our work cut out for us, but it is a good start.”

In its first team-scoring meet of the season, NAU topped Arizona State, Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Fullerton. Portland State and Southern Utah were unable to make it to the meet due to the weather.

The Lumberjacks have six days off until they host the Mountain T’s next Friday and Saturday at the Skydome.