The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Mt. SAC Relays
Distance crew impresses at Friday's Mt. SAC Relays
04.20.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
Mt. SAC Relays: Schedule | Heat Sheets | Live Results
Longhorn Invitational: Schedule | Heat Sheets | Live Results | Mike A. Myers Stadium Fan Guide
April 20, 2013
WALNUT, Calif. - Nine distance runners from the sixth-ranked Men's Track and Field team headed to the Mt. SAC Relays with hopes of posting NCAA West Regional qualifying times and three put themselves on solid footing Friday night with impressive performances.
Ryan Dohner nearly set the school record in the 5,000 meters, while Kyle Merber and Trevor Van Ackeren moved into the top 10 of the West Region's 1,500-meter performers list.
Dohner clocked a personal-best time of 13 minutes, 45.25 seconds in the 5,000-meter Invite Elite race. He finished 19th, but sixth among collegians. The junior shaved more than 11 seconds off his career best and was less than one second off the school record. Jeff Canada clocked a 13:44.34 at the 1989 Mt. SAC Relays.
Dohner moved to the third on the NCAA West Regional qualifying list, pending results of meets this weekend. The athletes with the best 48 times/marks advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Round, which will be held next month in Austin.
Merber posted a time of 3:41.63, which was fifth in the highly competitive Invitational field, but third among collegians and currently fourth on the West-qualifying chart.
Van Ackeren was not far behind, clocking a personal-best 3:42.18 to finish eighth, but that time is currently sixth in the West Region.
Patrick Casey of Oklahoma won the race with a nation-leading 3:40.27.
Merber and Van Ackeren, both senior transfers, moved into the top 10 on the Texas all-time performers list. Merber's time ranks third, with only Olympian Leo Manzano and Paul Craig posting better marks. Manzano, a two-time 1,500-meter NCAA Champion, clocked a school-record 3:35.29 at the 2007 U.S. Championships.
Patrick McGregor, whose race from Thursday was postponed, clocked a time of the 3:44.00 to finish eighth in the 1,500-meter Olympic development. That was not far off his personal best of 3:43.26 and should place him among the top 30 in the West Region.
Craig Lutz also had a career best, crossing the finish line of the 5,000m Olympic Development race in 14:00.53.
Freshman Daniel Vertiz clocked a 14:20.49 in the 5,000 Open A race, his first attempt at that distance.
Brady Turnbull, who clocked a personal-best 3:47.23 in Thursday's 1,500m Open race, tried to improve upon that at Friday's Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific.
He ended up posting a time of the 4:00.42.
While most of the distance crew is traveling back from California, the rest of the team will participate in Saturday's Longhorn Invitational, a one-day, non-scored meet, at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Field events start at noon and running events begin at 3 p.m.
TEXAS ENTRIES/RESULTS - Mt. SAC Relays (All times Central)
Walnut, Calif. - Hilmer Lodge Stadium
Thursday, April 18
- 1,500 Meters - Open: t-16. Brady Turnbull, 3:47.23
- 10,000 Meters - Invitational: 14. Rory Tunningley, 29:30.36
- 10,000 Meters - Olympic Development: 18. Mark Pinales, 30:09.04
Friday, April 19
- 1,500 Meters - Invitational: 5. Kyle Merber, 3:41.63; 8. Trevor Van Ackeren, 3:42.18
- 1,500 Meters - Olympic Development: 8. Patrick McGregor, 3:44.00
- 5,000 Meters - Invitational: 19. Ryan Dohner, 13:45.25
- 5,000 Meters - Olympic Development: 24. Craig Lutz, 14:00.53
- 5,000 Meters - Open A: 31. Daniel Vertiz, 14:20.49
TEXAS ENTRIES - Bryan Clay Invitational (All times Central)
Azusa, Calif. - Cougar Stadium
Friday, April 19
- 1,500 Meters: 62. Brady Turnbull, 4:00.42
