AUSTIN, Texas - Four Thunderbirds were in action at NCAA West Preliminaries on Thursday in Austin, Texas, with all four putting in solid performances.
Sophomore Kasey Knevelbaard finished third in his heat of the 1,500-meter with a time of 3:49.60, which was also the third-fastest time posted in the event on Thursday.
He will have a chance to run for a spot in the NCAA National Championships in the event on Saturday.
“The key is staying patient and staying relaxed,” Knevelbaard said about what he learned that can help him advance on Saturday. “You can't get in your own head. You have to stay calm and confident and stick with the plan.”
Freshman Jeff Rowley started off the day for the Thunderbirds in the javelin throw, where he was able to finish ninth place in his flight. Rowley was unable to advance to the National Championships.
With his third and final throw, Rowley was able to set his top mark with a 191' 8''.
“It was exciting,” Rowley said. “There were a lot of good athletes and a great experience. It was my goal at the beginning of the year and to be able to work on it and get here was pretty special.”
Rowley said more than anything, the experience taught him not to get complacent and to keep working.
“You can always keep getting better, and seeing everybody here inspires me to work harder and to be my best,” he said.
In the 400-meter dash, junior Justin Lewis ran a 49.00, which brought him competition to Austin to an end.
Lewis ended up finishing sixth in his heat.
“It was a fun experience,” Lewis said. “It was pretty scary with it being my first time, but I had a ton of fun being out here and doing it.”
Junior Matt Wright competed in the 10,000-meter, which was the final event of the evening. Wright ran a 30:30.48, which put him in 20th place overall.
Wright ended up just eight spots away from qualifying for a trip to Eugene.
Competition will continue for the Thunderbirds on Friday with sophomore Devon Montgomery competing in the 110-meter hurdles at 4 p.m. Mountain Time (5 p.m. Local Time).
Links to live stats and a live stream can be found at www.suutbirds.com or at www.texassports.com.
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