WASHINGTON – Melissa Riggins and Chloe Scrimgeour both punched their tickets and are Austin bound for the finals site of the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday at the East Prelims. On the Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida, Riggins earned a spot in the 1,500-meter semifinals while Scrimgeour nabbed a spot in the 5,000-meter finals. Saturday marked the final of a four-day meet that serves as the precursor to the finals rounds of the championship, held June 7-10 at the University of Texas in Austin.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first heat of the 1,500m quarterfinals, Riggins competed in what proved to be the faster of the two heats. The pack was close together but after 700 meters, Riggins was getting pushed toward the back as runners struggled for position. Over the next 400 meters, Riggins ran the fastest split over that frame to maneuver up to sixth and make a move on the bell lap. Riggins picked off two more runners as she fought for her time of 4:12.52 to finish fourth for the automatic qualifier to Austin. Her time stood as fourth overall after the second heat.
• Scrimgeour and teammate Andrea Claeson each competed in the first of a two-heat 5,000-meter semifinal. Scrimgeour stayed toward the front for the entirety of the race, including a stint where she took over as the leader for a couple of laps in the middle. Keeping up with some of the NCAA's best runners running some of their best races of the season, Scrimgeour was able to hold on and coast to a second-place finish in the heat with a time of 15:55.87 to earn an automatic qualifier to Austin. Her time was good for ninth overall following the second heat.
• Claeson was running just behind Scrimgeour through the first 3,000 meters but with four laps to go, Claeson couldn't find the next gear as the front of the pack continued splitting 77 seconds per lap. As the leaders picked up the pace over the final three laps, Claeson slipped back 22nd in her heat with a time of 17:02.93, good enough for 42nd overall.

 
OF NOTE

• Riggins advances to his first NCAA Outdoor Championships semifinal. She narrowly missed the opportunity in the 800-meter run during the 2022 season.
• This will be the first appearance at the finals site of the NCAA Outdoor Championships for Scrimgeour. She competed in the semifinals of the 5,000-meter run at the East Prelims in 2022 but fell short of advancing to the finals.

 
UP NEXT
The Hoyas will send Riggins and Scrimgeour to the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held June 7-10, at the University of Texas in Austin. Both will be competing in the semifinals of their events.