FIVE MORE BLUEJAY DISTANCE RUNNERS QUALIFY FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEET RESULTS (Men)
MEET RESULTS (Women)

      Naperville, Ill May 14, 2001 - Senior Jim Akita (Elmhurst-York), junior Jason Malmassari (Sycamore-H.S.), sophomore Adrien Ricci (Sandwich-H.S.), and freshman twins Erin and Kathleen Brice (Elk Grove-H.S.) have all qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships. They did so at the Dr. Keeler Track and Field Invitational at North Central College last Friday (May 11).
      Ricci qualified automatically in the 10,000 meters with a school-record time of 37:10. The other four - Akita, Malmassari and the Brice twins - qualified provisionally, meaning that they are on a type of "wait list" for the opportunity to participate in the national tournament. Those athletes who rank in the top 18 in the nation in their respective events can expect to participate at nationals (there were an average of 18 participants per event last year).
      DR. KEELER INVITATIONAL - Five Bluejays qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships at the Dr. Keeler Invitational at North Central College last Friday (May 11). Ricci, the team's Most Improved Athlete, led the way when she automatically qualified in the 10,000-meter run in a school-record time of 37:10.
      "Adrien was outstanding - she ran a perfect race," Head Women's Coach Erik Guta said. "She ran exactly even splits of 18:35, when her personal record last year for the 5,000 meters was 20:05. To run so much faster for a race that's twice as long is amazing."
      Akita provisionally qualified in the 10,000 meters with a time of 31:14.22, also a new school record, while Malmassari, who had already provisionally qualified in the steeplechase, improved his time to 9:21.63, breaking the school record he had set two weeks earlier. Akita currently ranks 14th in the nation in his event while Malmassari is 19th.
      "I am so proud of Jim and Jason," Head Men's Coach Bob Schultz said. "They have worked so hard this year and both of them thought all season long that they had a shot at qualifying for nationals. They both ran very smart and gutsy races and ran their best when they needed to."
      Kathleen Brice, the 2001 Bluejay women's MVP, set a new school record in the 3,000-meter run. She ran it in 10:03.23, a provisional qualifying time that places her 10th in the nation. Her sister, Erin, qualified in the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:37.81. She currently ranks 14th.
      "Kathleen ran great," Guta said. "She broke a school record that we thought would never be broken, which is incredible, especially for a freshman. Erin, too, ran much better than I could have imagined."
      In addition, freshman John McMillian won the 100 meters, an event in which he currently ranks 14th in the nation, in 10.87.
      Friday's performances give Elmhurst eight athletes who have qualified for the NCAA Championships. The increasing number of qualifiers (up from two last year, including national champion Elvis McCarter) is a sign of steady improvement by the Elmhurst College track program.
      The Bluejay track and field team will participate in the North Central College Invitational at 11:00 a.m. this Friday (May 18). It will be the last chance for individuals to qualify for the NCAA Championships, which will be held May 24-26, at Millikin University in Decatur.