Starting this afternoon, hundreds of athletes will converge on Eugene, Oregon to compete in the NCAA D1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Among those athletes will be 10 Lobos, all of whom will be looking to cap off their great seasons – and in some cases, collegiate careers – with a strong showing against the best that college track and field has to offer. Simply making to the championships is impressive enough in its own right, but several of these Lobos have good shots at earning a spot as a first-team All-American.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are a couple of things that stand out about the Lobos heading to Eugene: most of them are distance runners and a lot of them are British. Given both the strength of the cross country program and the effective recruiting that Coach Franklin has done with overseas athletes, that’s a trend that will likely continue for a while. Aside from the seven distance runners competing, the Lobos are also sending a long jumper and a couple of triple jumpers, which is a little unusual for this program, but is certainly welcome to see.
The events will all be shown on the various ESPN networks over the next few days, so if you get the chance, tune in and cheer on the Lobos. After all, you won’t get a chance to watch the cherry and silver in action again until August.
Athletes Competing:
Sophie Conner
Event: 1500-meter run
Best Time: 4:14.03
Outlook: Sophie, a senior out of England, is one of the five women from the women’s cross country team – who were incredible and won a national championship, in case you hadn’t heard – heading to Eugene. She holds the best time in the 1500 in UNM history and the third best in MW history. She had the fourth-fastest qualifying time in D1, which means that she has a real shot becoming an All-American, if not making the podium. That would be the second time this year that she be an All-American, as she earned that honor in the indoor mile a few months ago.
When to Watch: Thursday, June 8th at 5:46pm (semis) and Saturday, June 10th at 4:41pm (finals)
Elmar Engholm
Event: 3000-meter steeplechase
Best Time: 8:40.03
Outlook: The Swedish senior finally makes his way to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, despite being the dominant steeplechaser in the MW over the past few years. He’s won the event three times in the conference championships, so it feels like he was due. He placed second in the prelims to punch his ticket to Oregon and is looking to build on that performance this week. I’d expect him to make the most of his opportunity and be in the hunt for All-American honors.
When to Watch: Wednesday, June 7th at 6:02pm (semis) and Friday, June 9th at 6:54pm (finals)
Courtney Frerichs
Event: 3000-meter steeplechase
Best Time: 9:29.31
Outlook: Courtney has been on fire ever since she transferred to UNM for her senior season from UMKC. She anchored the cross country team, finishing fourth overall at the national championships, and has been a force in the steeplechase all season. She currently holds the best time in the country by about eight seconds and is the prohibitive favorite to win the event. She also stands a decent shot at earning a trip to Rio this summer as a member of Team USA.
When to Watch: Thursday, June 8th at 6:02pm (semis) and Saturday, June 10th at 4:54pm (finals)
Jannell Hadnot
Event: Triple Jump
Best Distance: 13.36 meters (43’10”)
Outlook: Jannell, a junior from Oakland, was in serious danger of not qualifying for the national championships until her last jump at the prelims, where she pulled off a personal best jump to not only qualify, but to win the prelims. That jump also gave her the 10th best qualifying distance in the country, which means that another jump like that could put her on the All-American team.
When to Watch: Saturday, June 10th at 4:30pm
Allan Hamilton
Event: Long Jump
Best Distance: 7.88m (25’10.25”)
Outlook: Allan, a senior from Scotland, has been the best long jumper in the conference ever since he showed up to UNM last year. He won the event at both the indoor and outdoor MW championships the last two years and it seems like he’s only getting better. He currently holds the 8th best qualifying jump in the country and, with a great jump, has a chance to make the podium.
When to Watch: Wednesday, June 7th at 7:00pm
Emily Hosker-Thornhill
Event: 1500-meter run
Best Time: 4:18.55
Outlook: Emily is another member of the women’s cross country national champions and another senior from England. She earned a spot in Eugene with a personal best performance at the prelims, which means that she keeps getting better at the event. With such great competition around her, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her set another PR this week.
When to Watch: Thursday, June 8th at 5:46pm (semis) and Saturday, June 10th at 4:41pm (finals)
Josh Kerr
Event: 1500-meter run
Best Time: 3:42.09
Outlook: The only freshman Lobo to qualify for Nationals, Josh has already had a decorated year. He won the event at the European Junior Championships and at the MW championships. He has some stiff competition in this event, but a good showing could be what launches his collegiate career to the next level.
When to Watch: Wednesday, June 7th at 5:46pm (semis) and Friday, June 9th at 6:42pm (finals)
Aasha Marler
Event: Triple Jump
Best Distance: 13.05m (42’9.75”)
Outlook: The senior from Hope Christian here in Albuquerque, Aasha will be making her first appearance at the National Championships. She ranks as the fourth-best triple jumper in UNM history and the fifth-best long jumper, with a decorated career in both events. She finished second, behind Jannell, in the event at the MW championships this year and won the event at the MW indoor championships in 2015. It will likely take a PR for her to earn All-American honors, but all it takes is one (triple) jump.
When to Watch: Saturday, June 10th at 4:30pm
Calli Thackery
Event: 5000-meter run
Best Time: 15:37.44
Outlook: Yet another national champion cross country runner from England, Calli is looking to earn All-American honors in this event for the second consecutive year. Last year, she placed sixth overall, and she looks to be in good shape to improve on that result this year. She probably could have qualified in several events, including the 10k and the 1500, but she might have the best chance of winning this one.
When to Watch: Saturday, June 10th at 6:25pm
Alice Wright
Event: 10,000-meter run
Best Time: 32:36.11
Outlook: A redshirt sophomore from England, Alice is making her second consecutive appearance in the 10k national championship. She was an All-American last year and seems primed to earn that honor again this year, with a decent chance of making the podium. She was also one of the top runners on the national-championship-winning women’s cross country team, which I may never get tired of saying. Oh, and she’s only getting better.
When to Watch: Thursday, June 9th at 8:08pm