April 20, 2013
WALNUT,Calif. – The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams claimed a first-place sectional finish and raised its national rankings with the four Irish student-athletes represented at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., (April 18-19) and the California Invitational (April 17-18) in Azusa, Calif this week.
Senior Jeremy Rae (Fort Erie, Ont.) stopped the clock at 3:41.45 (fourth) in the elite section of the 1,500m at the Mt. SAC Relays. The finish stands as the fifth fastest time in the country this season on the Track & Field Results Reporting System’s 2013 NCAA outdoor qualifying list. Rae finished just a tenth of a second behind Oklahoma State’s Thomas Farrell and was just 1.22 seconds away from gathering the nation’s best outdoor time during the 2012-13 season.
Senior Ted Glasnow (Newhall,Calif.) was the top finisher in the “A” section of the California Invitational decathlon, racking up a total of 7,315 points throughout the two-day span. The senior achieved a career-best finish and was just one of six in the field of 35 competitors to exceed the 7,000 point mark. Glasnow picked up victories in each the long jump (6.96m-804 points), high jump (2.01m-813 points) and discus (43.49m-736 points).
Glasnow was 515 points better than second-place finisher Charlie Foss (Wisconsin), the largest margin between any two competitors in his section.
The point total stands as the most achieved by any BIG-EAST athlete to date this outdoor season according to the Track & Field Results Reporting System’s BIG EAST performance list. Glasnow overtakes the No. 1 spot previously held by Connecticut’s Jesse Chapman (6,969 points). The senior surpasses Akron’s Alex McCune (7,295 points) for the 13th best point total in the nation.
Sophomore Carly Loeffel (Cary, Ill.) put up a phenomenal effort in the “A” section of the heptathlon at the California Invitational, finishing fifth among 24 participants with a total of 5,287 points. Loeffel also accomplished a career-best finish and was a single point from tying fourth-place finisher Georgia Ellenwood from Langley.
The sophomore placed fifth or better in each of her flights and captured a first-place flight finish in the shot put (12.15m). Loeffel, who ranks first on the BIG EAST performance list, extends her lead to 174 points from her previous best. Loeffel new point total places her No. 20 in the nation.
Senior J.P. Malette (Windsor, Ont.) placed 20th in the Olympic development section of the 1,500m with a time of 3:49.35 at the California Invitational.
Notre Dame sets its sights next on the Polytan Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. on Saturday (April 20) as 65 Irish roster members will make the trip. The meet will get underway with the women’s hammer throw at 4:30 p.m. and conclude with the men’s 4x400m at 8:40 p.m.
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