The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Distance group proves a strong asset for Men's Track and Field
04.30.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
April 30, 2013
By Mallory Majcher, Texas Media Relations
After claiming the 2013 Big 12 Indoor crown, Men's Track and Field now looks to sweep the team titles when it heads to Baylor Friday for the opening of the outdoor league championship.
The overall success for eighth-ranked Texas this season stems from the ability to have athletes in nearly every event to step up and compete to earn points during conference or national events.
The distance unit has recently shined during high-level competition and hopes to continue that progression in Waco, Texas.
Head coach Bubba Thornton, who had led the Longhorns to 11 league titles, describes the entirety of the team as a footprint and says that the "distance guys are a big part of that."
The distance crew showed up strong two weeks ago at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays. The annual three-day meet at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., traditionally attracts top collegiate and professional talent.
Junior Ryan Dohner was less than one second shy of breaking the school record in the 5,000 meters by clocking a 13:45.25, while Trevor Van Ackeren and Kyle Merber moved into the top 20 of the NCAA West Region's 1500-meter rankings. Dohner, who is now 11th on the 5,000-meter West Regional qualifying list, along with Van Ackeren, sophomore Craig Lutz, senior Rory Tunningley and freshman Brady Turnbull, posted personal bests at the meet.
"We are excited about the marks these guys posted at Mt. SAC," says Thornton, "but now we have to compete head to head in the Big 12 Outdoor Championship."
Thornton, along with assistant coach John Hayes, feel that the Mt. SAC Relays were a strong confidence booster for the distance group heading into the championship season.
"The [5,000-meter] race showed me that I am in very good shape," said Dohner of his performance at Mt. SAC. "I am definitely motivated going forward."
This group of distance runners has not only proven to be a successful asset to the entire team, but also carries four newcomers who have added a unique perspective to the team.
Merber, Van Ackeren, Austin Bussing and Joe Stilin earned their undergraduate degrees at different universities, but still had one year of eligibility remaining. According to their teammates, this group has made a smooth transition to being full-fledged Longhorns.
"Even after spending four years at another program and only being [at Texas] for a year, they have really brought a lot to the program," says teammate Patrick McGregor, who ranks in the top 30 on the NCAA West Regional rankings in both the 800 meters (1:49.57 - 21st) and 1,500 (3:44.00 - 29th). "They are very proud to wear burnt orange."
Bussing, a graduate transfer from Kansas, is currently enrolled in the community and regional planning graduate program. In the outdoor season thus far, Bussing has posted career bests in both the 1,500 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase, an event he is ranked first (8:52.05) in the Big 12 and No. 14 in the West Region.
Stilin, a transfer from Princeton, completed his eligibility with the indoor season, but continues to train with his teammates. In just his third meet as a Longhorn, Stilin broke the school record in the mile (3:58.66 at the Razorback Team Invitational) — a mark (3:58.78) that was previously held by Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano. Stilin, who came to Texas to study aerospace engineering, also set the school record in the 3,000 meters (7:56.07) and advanced to the NCAA Indoor meet in the mile.
"Even though I am no longer racing in a Texas uniform, I still feel like a really big part of the team," says Stilin. "I am a training partner for the other guys and want to help them get better."
Van Ackeren, also from Princeton, is using the last of his eligibility during this outdoor season. He finished second in the 3,000 with a mark of 8:15.58 at the Texas State Elite Meet, his first race in a Texas uniform. Van Ackeren also ran a leg in the distance medley relay, which finished first at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.
The former Tiger is currently ranked fifth in the Big 12 and No. 15 in the NCAA West Regional rankings in the 1,500m (3:42.18).
Merber, a transfer from Columbia who is enrolled in the graduate advertising program, shined in the fall during the cross-country season, helping the Longhorns finish ninth at the NCAA meet. He also earned a spot on the USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team.
Merber's time of 3:41.61 in the 1,500 at Mt. SAC places him fourth in the Big 12 and No. 12 in the West Regional rankings.
He and a number of Longhorns are in good shape to compete in the NCAA West Preliminary Round, which will be held May 23-25 in Austin. Athletes who rank among the top 48 in their respective event earn berths.
The quartet of graduate transfers has brought success, leadership and maturity to this relatively young distance unit. With four years of collegiate experience under their belts, they have helped lead the unit by example shown through their hard work and dedication.
"There is a lot of talent among those guys and they are really good athletes," says Hayes. "They are a huge part of this team."
Now they are looking to help the Longhorns sweep the Big 12 indoor and outdoor titles for the first time since 2006.
"There is a little bit of pressure that you have to rise up to being at Texas," says Stilin of his adapting to the tradition at the 40 Acres. "The tradition is winning. The tradition is doing well at big competitions. It is not a negative thing, but a testament to our team mentality here at Texas."