May 26, 2007

Results

COLUMBIA, MO. - Marquette women's track & field team member Michaela Courtney finished sixth in a time of 4:23.33 in the finals of the women's 1,500m, Saturday, at the NCAA Mid-East Championship at Audrey J. Walton Stadium on the campus of the University of Missouri. Despite not finishing among the top-five who automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, the senior's season-best time of 4:19.06 in the preliminaries may advance her to the championships as an extra qualifier. The list of six to eight extra-qualifiers will be announced on Monday.

"We told her yesterday that if she was feeling good in the preliminaries and if the weather was good and the race was there, she should go after as fast a time as possible, aiming for a time that might qualify as an extra competitor," said head coach David Uhrich.

Courtney waited out an hour lighting delay before the 1,500m finally got underway.

"She was ready to go," added Uhrich. "The conditions were the same for everyone this weekend. We feel good that her preliminary results will get her in."

The NCAA Championships are scheduled for June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif. Last season in the 1,500m at the NCAA Championships, Courtney finished fifth, earning All-American honors.