March 8, 2013
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams displayed an abundance of success on the first day of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship as Patrick Feeney reclaimed the school record in the 400m from teammate Chris Giesting and the distance medley relay team accomplished a seventh-place finish Friday evening inside the Randal Tyson Track Complex. All four individual participants advanced to tomorrow’s finals races for a chance to gather All-American accolades.
Feeney’s time of 45.92 reset the 400m school record for the fourth time this season as the junior placed third in his heat and fourth overall. Chris Giesting last set the record during the Alex Wilson Invitational last weekend with a time of 46.05.
Prior to last weekend, Feeney broke the record at the Meyo Invitational (46.13) and lowered it at the BIG EAST Championship (46.12). Giesting joins Feeney in the 400m finals tomorrow after placing second in his heat and eighth overall after crossing the line at 46.35.
The distance medley relay of Kelly Curran, Michelle Brown, Danielle Aragon and Alexa Aragon got on the board for the Irish picking up two valuable points with a time of 11:01.49.
When the USTFCCCA hands out All-American certificates next week, the DMR team and all four individual competitors are expected to earn first team accolades following their outstanding performances Friday night that saw them all place in the top eight.
Rebecca Tracy got the Irish off to a terrific start on the first day of competition as she placed fourth in her heat and seventh overall in the mile prelims with a time of 4:37.88.
Florida State’s Amanda Winslow holds the best mile time going into tomorrow’s event after crossing the line at 4:36.48. The winning time last year was set by Stony Brook’s Lucky Van Dalen (4:39.76). With both of those times in mind, Tracy remains in great position for All-America accolades as she topped both of those marks last weekend at the Alex Wilson Invitational, setting a new school, meet and record with a time of 4:33.53.
Tracy searches to become the third Irish in program history to gather the title of All-American in the mile as Lauren King (2003) and Kerry Meagher (2004) each finished seventh in their finals race.
Jade Baber proved to be in the fast heat of the 60mH as Clemson’s Brianna Rollins set a NCAA meet and facility record with a winning time of 7.82. Barber finished third (8.15) in the heat and is sixth overall going into tomorrow’s finals race.
Barber becomes the first official Notre Dame student-athlete to qualify for the 60mH. Dominque Calloway placed 11th in the finals of the 55mH back in 1997.
The women’s 4x400m relay team will make their debut tomorrow in the finals and will look to add onto the accomplishments made on the first day. Action will resume for the Irish at 7:00 p.m. (ET) as Tracy battles for the title in the mile. Visit UND.com for a full recap following the second day of the NCAA Championship.
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