In order to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships, athletes have to push themselves to compete at the highest level for a small period of time to make the top 16.
Three Sun Devil track and field athletes competed in their final opportunity for a spot in the national championship meet on March 8 and March 9. The weekend didn't fare too well for them.
Junior pole-vaulter Shaylah Simpson entered her meet in Seattle on the bubble to get into the championship meet.
Unfortunately, Simpson wouldn't have the performance she hoped and appears she will just miss the cut.
Fellow junior, jumper Bryan McBride, also traveled with Simpson to Seattle where he recorded a 2.21m jump.
That puts him in a five-way tie at No. 15. With only the top-16 athletes moving on, a tie breaker will have to be decided.
At Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind., sophomore sprinter Brianna Tate ran a 53.37 in the 400m. It was one-hundredth of a second faster than her seasonal best.
Unfortunately, it will not qualify her for the NCAA championships.
On the other hand, there are still several other ASU athletes that will be participating this coming weekend in Arkansas, and they hope to come away with a national championship.
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
