Buzard, Vega, and Rue Make NCAA Field

Gopher senior all-American quarter-miler Aaron Buzard, senior teammate Antonio Vega, and true-freshman pole vaulter Alicia Rue of the Gopher women's team were added to the NCAA Championship field today.

Buzard and Rue were named as "at large" selections to the meet after failing to qualify automatically by finishing in the top-5 in their events at the NCAA Midwest Regional meet in Des Moines last weekend.

Vega was the last runner accepted in the 10,000 meters, in which runners qualify by time during the season.

In addition, "Swiss Army" jumper Derek Gearman and Gopher throwers Adam Schnaible, Liz Alabi, and Liz Podominick were accepted into additional events beyond those they auto-qualified for at regionals.

Gearman was added to the long jump and high jump -- he finished 6th in both events at regionals -- after finishing 4th in the triple jump. Schnaible was added to the hammer throw after finishing 9th in the event in Des Moines. He finished third in the shot put there.

Alabi and Podominick were added to the shot put field. They finished 6th and 9th at regionals in the event, respectively. Alabi was 4th in the hammer at regionals; Podominick was 5th in the
discus.

Also ... Notre Dame junior Jake Watson, who finished seventh in the Mideast Regional 1,500 meters in 3:45.96, wasn't added to the national meet among the at large qualifieers. Watson is a Stillwater High School grad.

Complete listings of entrants into the NCAA Championship can be found HERE (men) and HERE (women.)

The NCAA Division I Championships run from June 6-9 in Sacramento, California.