KINGSVILLE, TEXAS -- In the 1,500-meter prelims, juniors Zach Lundberg & Mason Phillips, who ran in the second of two heats, recorded two of the top six times and qualified for the finals at 5:45 p.m., on Saturday (May 25) at Javelinas Stadium.

Lundberg, who entered the race ranked 10th with a school record 3:46.83 at the Bryan Clay Invite in April, had the third-best qualifying time at 3:55.38 and  just .22 behind the leader Daniel Wallis of Queens.  He opened with a 47.31 and sat at 1:51.97 through 800 meters and was second overall. Through 1,200 meters, Lundberg was at 2:57.28 and in fifth place. In the final 400 meters, he clocked a 58.10 and moved up two spots to third in the heat as he finished in 3:55.38.

Mason Phillips qualified 6th at 3:55.64 and was just seven hundreds from fifth place and Luke Julian of Colorado Mines, who was at 3:55.57. Phillips, who was ranked 15th coming into the race (3:47.98, Drake Relays in April) opened with a 47.84 and was sixth. At the mid-point, he was sixth with a clocking of 1:52.30. With a 65.44 in the next 400 meters, Phillips sat in ninth place at 2:57.73. However, he closed with a 57.91 to move into sixth place at 3:55.64.

If both Phillips and Lundberg hold their spots in the finals, they will earn first team All-Americans. As long as they finish the race, they will be second team All-Americans.
Also on Thursday, junior Tristan Zawadzki, who was making his first appearance at the outdoor nationals, competed in the pole vault but didn't place.

Coming Up –
USF will have one student-athlete compete on Friday with indoor second team All-American sophomore Emma Hertz throwing the discus at 1:30 p.m. Hertz, who is making her third NCAA Championship appearance, is seeded ninth in the discus at 51.57 meters (169-02, SMSU Mustang Twilight, May 1), which is a school record.  She will also compete at nationals in the shot put at 1:15 pm on Saturday. She is ranked 11th in the shot put at 15.56 meters (51-0.75), which is also a school record (USF Twilight, April 23).

Junior Miranda Phipps will also compete on Saturday at 11:30 pm in the women's javelin where she is seeded 14th. She set a school record of 46.51 meters (152-07) at the USD Twilight on April 23. She will be making her first NCAA DII Championship appearance.