WASHINGTON – In better conditions than the previous day, the Georgetown University track & field team was back on the track on Friday for the third day of the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field East Preliminary Championships with a pair of Hoyas punching their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship finals site. Seven Hoyas lined up to compete on Friday at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility in Lexington with a trio running personal best times. The meet continues through Saturday, May 25.
 
ON THE RECORD
"Our men and women have come to the regional meet and done what we've done all year - lined up and competed at a very high level. That resilience and grit we've seen from Chloe Scrimgeour and Maggie Donahue all year - going back to cross country - was on full display in the 10K. The third-place finish by Chloe and Maggie's determination to finish 10th was a sight to behold - what more can we say, she is just tough as nails!
 
"Three men in the 800m and two men in the 1,500m contending to earn a spot to Eugene speaks to the depth we've shown all year in the men's middle distance events. It took 1:46.5 to make it out of the region in the event and we're ecstatic to see Gabriele earn a spot in his first year as a Hoya. But extremely proud of the effort from all of the men who toed the line today. Parker ran a smart race to secure his place to Eugene and seemed to have a lot left in the tank.
 
"I'm looking forward to seeing our women compete on Saturday to earn their spot to the next round in Eugene." - Director of Track & Field / Cross Country Alton McKenzie

"The NCAA has gotten so competitive so to have two qualifiers is really good. Parker made his fourth-straight NCAA meet and is ready to do big things. Gabri ran an incredible race and running 1:46 as a 19-year-old freshman is amazing. We had two other 800 men run 1:46. It's wild that we had two people run Olympic Trials times in the 800 but not qualify for NCAAs. That depth shows how good the NCAA is and how good our team is." - Assistant Track & Field / Head Men's Cross Country Coach Brandon Bonsey
 
FOLLOW THE HOYAS

• The meet serves as a precursor to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held June 5-8, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.
• The four-day championship will be streamed live on ESPN+ with links to each day's coverage as well as live results found on the schedule on GUHoyas.com.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• In familiar fashion, All-American Parker Stokes is heading back to Eugene, Oregon for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. He competed in the first of a three-heat quarterfinal on Friday, and was among the top three for the entirety of the race. Competing in a heat that saw a new facility record from UVA's top runner, Stokes was smart in his approach and made his 8:38.91 look easy as he earned an automatic qualifying mark to the semifinals in June.
• Competing in the same heat as Stokes, Peter Herold timed in at 8:59.75, which was not enough to advance on time to the semifinals.
• With the first heat of the men's 800-meter quarterfinals going out in facility record-breaking time, a pair of Hoyas lined up in the second heat knowing the best way to earn a spot in the semis was with an automatic qualifying spot or finishing among the top three. Through 400 meters, All-American Tim McInerney and Gabriele Angiono were at the back of the eight-person field. Coming off the first turn of the final lap, McInerney started to move up on the outside and among the top five. When it seemed as though the field was able to find another gear, McInerney turned it up again on the final straightaway and was inching toward the last automatic qualifying spot before Angiono surged on the right side and was able to out-lean his teammate at the finish. Angiono clocked 1:46.59 for the final spot while McInerney timed in at 1:46.63. McInerney recorded the fastest split over the final 400 meters at 54.50. Both times were personal bests.
• In the third 800m quarterfinal heat, All-American Tinoda Matsatsa ran a tactical race. When the field made moves on the back straight of the bell lap, he moved up to be sure he was in the best position for a kick at the end. As the field came off the final turn, Matsatsa tried to muster up one final surge but even his 1:46.75, a personal best in the event, was not enough as he finished fourth in the heat, missing out on an automatic qualifying spot.
• The men's 1,500-meter quarterfinal was a two-heat event with a Hoya in each race. With the first race going out fast, a more tactical second race meant the only chance at a spot in the semifinals was to finish among the top five. All-American Camden Gilmore put himself in position over the final 400 meters but his final kick wasn't enough as he finished sixth in the heat with a time of 3:46.26.
• In the first 1,500m heat, All-American Abel Teffra never seemed comfortable with his positioning as the race went out fast and Teffra got boxed in on the rail. As he was getting pushed out the back, the race was going too fast to make up the gap as he ran 3:41.98, finishing 10th in the heat, and recording a faster time than anyone from the second heat.

 
OF NOTE

• The men's 800m quarterfinals saw 16 personal best performances from the field, with just two of the qualifiers to the semifinals in Eugene not running PRs. Six athletes ran the fastest times of their careers, including a pair of Hoyas, and the times were still not fast enough to advance to June's semifinals.

 
2024 NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD EAST PRELIMINARY CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 25, 2024
5:15 p.m. - Women's 1,500m Quarterfinals (H2 of 2: Melissa Riggins)
5:40 p.m. - Women's 3,000m Steeplechase Quarterfinals (H2 of 3: Barrett Justema; H3 of 3: Mary Hennelly)
8:10 p.m. - Women's 5,000m Semifinals (H2 of 2: Chloe Scrimgeour)