BOSTON, Mass – Mount Union's men's track and field team, ranked fifth in the nation, did its job Friday as four individuals and a relay team qualified for the finals at the 2019 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
The Purple Raiders needed all to advance to have a shot at defending its national team title from a year ago.
Connor Troyer (Garaway / Sugarcreek) and Mason Plant (Shreve / Triway) both qualified in the 60 meter hurdles. Troyer ran the best time out of the 20 competitors at 8.07 while Plant, the defending national champion in the event sits fifth at 8.13. The finals for the event are scheduled for 1:55 p.m. Saturday.
In the 400 meters, James Roth (Massillon / Perry) is fourth after qualifying and will run in Saturday's 3:40 p.m. final. AJ Digby (Tontogany / Otsego) also was placed in the final by the meet officials after he was interfered with in his qualifying heat.
Roth and Digby came back in the 4x400 meter relay with senior Clark Etzler (Elida) and freshman Dylon Campbell (Cuyahoga Falls) to run a time of 3:17.98 to sit in the sixth spot after qualifying heading into tomorrow's 5:25 p.m. final.
Along with today's qualifiers, juniors Sean Sherman (Franklin / Bishop Fenwick) and Lucas Cooper (Hanoverton / Untied Local) are in shot put tomorrow at 3:15 p.m.
Freshman Evan Hershberger (Dalton) also placed 13th in the high jump at 6-feet, 5.5-inches.
Senior Hiliary Reigle (Madison), the lone member of the women's team competing, placed 12th in the 5000 meters (17:21.65).
