The Alex Wilson Invitational is much like a last-chance meet to get into Nationals, and the Bobcats will take their top few to South Bend, Ind. this weekend to compete.
Freshmen Melissa Thompson, Emily Pifer, Juli Accurso and senior Annie Beecham will all travel to Notre Dame this weekend to compete in a meet coach that Clay Calkins said will be more for personal improvement than a realistic shot at qualifying for NCAA Indoor Nationals.
“We’re hoping for season bests out of all four athletes.” Calkins said. “It’ll take a 16 minute 7 second 5K to reach nationals.”
Beecham and Pifer will run the 5,000-meter run while Thompson and Accurso will compete in the mile.
Calkins said this has been a good week of training and that he looks forward to seeing how his athletes step up against some of the best competition they have faced all year.
At the very least, he said, this will serve for good experience for the three freshmen, and Beecham could potentially qualify for nationals if she pulls out a great performance.
“The athletes we’re taking are mostly all young,” Calkins said. “This will be valuable experience that they will gain from running against some of the best competition in the country.”
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