Allie Ostrander, a 2015 graduate of Kenai Central, qualified for the national championship in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Sacramento, California.
Saturday, she also qualified for 5,000, meaning she will attempt a steeplechase-5K double for the third straight season.
The redshirt junior at Boise State won the second heat of the national quarterfinal in the steeplechase to automatically qualify to defend her steeple crowns of 2017 and 2018.
In the first heat, BYU’s Erica Birk put up a nation-leading time, but Ostrander regained the nation-leading time by running 9 minutes, 40.05 seconds.
“It was great to get through the first round and advance nationals,” Ostrander said in a statement released by Boise State. “Advancing through these races always brings out great performances. It was always the plan to run that race, and it’s great to look forward to the next round.”
Ostrander won the 5K with a time of 15:30.94.
The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be June 5 to 8 in Austin, Texas.
Jonah Theisen takes 2nd in Division II steeplechase
Jonah Theisen, a 2015 graduate of Kenai Central and senior at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, took second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Friday at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Kingsville, Texas.
Theisen was in third with about a lap to go before kicking past Wesley Kirui of the University of Alaska Anchorage to take second in 8:55.31. Theisen earns first-team all-American honors for the finish. He had won the event as a freshman.
Saturday, Theisen finished 16th in the 5K at 15:07.70.
He wraps up his career at Black Hills with seven All-America finishes in cross-country and track and field.
McCormick takes 4th in 800
Danielle McCormick, a 2015 graduate of Soldotna High School and senior at the University of Alaska Anchorage, took fourth in the 800 at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
McCormick finished at 2:09.71, while the winning time was 2:06.96.
McCormick also helped the UAA 1,600 relay to an eighth-place finish in 3:47.87.
Sarturday’s 800 and 1,600 relay give McCormick eight All-American honors in her career.
