NAU Tune-Up & Alex Wilson Invitational
NAU Tune-Up: J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome | Flagstaff, Ariz.
Alex Wilson Invite: Loftus Sports Center | South Bend, Ind.
The NCAA Championships are right around the corner, and the Lobos are trying to qualify as many athletes as possible.
And all they may need is a tune up.
The University of New Mexico track and field team is sending athletes to the NAU Tune-Up in Flagstaff, Ariz., and the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind., as those athletes aim to put themselves in contention for the NCAA Championships.
Adam Bitchell is heading to NAU to earn a berth in the 3000-meter run, while the distance medley relay team of Calli Thackery, Holly Van Grinsven, Sophie Connor and Sammy Silva is traveling to Notre Dame with designs on capturing their own bid.
These two meets are likely some of the last chances New Mexico has to qualify to the NCAAs in the distance events, considering how most distance races at the upcoming conference championships don’t produce qualifying times.
The Lobos are hosting the Mountain West Championships next weekend at the Albuquerque Convention Center, which, considering the tactics used in races at conference championships, isn’t particularly conducive to fast times.
But this last weekend before the conference-championship weekend is one that many athletes on the proverbial NCAA “bubble” will use to get a bid.
The top 16 individual athletes and the top 12 relay teams in every championship event advance to the national meet.
So, the Lobos will look to get a last-chance tune up before the conference meet.
For Bitchell, he’ll look to improve on his time in the 3000 this weekend at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff. He’s run a time of 7:59.53 in the 3000 this year, but will likely need a time faster than 7:55 to make nationals.
However, he just ran a quick 13:50.05 in the 5000 last weekend at Husky Classic last weekend, and could parlay that momentum into an NCAA-caliber time this weekend.
On the women’s side, the Lobos will compete a distance medley relay (DMR) team for the first time this year at the Loftus Sports Center in South Bend.
However, New Mexico is running a fierce foursome, with strong runners in each position.
Leading off the event — which includes, in order, legs of 1200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters and 1600 meters — is Thackery. Thackery, who just missed the school record in the 3000 last weekend at the Husky Classic, owns a personal record of 4:54.07 in the mile.
She will be joined by Van Grinsven, who will run the 400-meter leg. The sixth-best quartermiler in New Mexico history, she has a personal record of 56.73 in the 400. She is also the school-record holder in the 60 hurdles.
Connor will take on the 800-meter leg, and has a sensational personal best of 2:08.20 over that distance. That mark is second all-time at UNM, behind Silva, who will anchor the relay.
Silva owns the school record in both the 800 and the mile, and has quickly made a name for herself as one of the best middle-distance runners ever at New Mexico. Her personal record of 4:33.48 in the mile also doubles as the Mountain West record.
Bitchell is scheduled to compete at 6:30 p.m. MT Friday, while the women’s DMR is at 9:50 a.m. MT on Saturday. Check back Saturday for a complete recap of the Lobos action and the implication on the postseason.