EUGENE, Ore. - Tyler Day and
Matt Baxter ended the season as All-Americans in the 10,000-meter race and freshman
Luis Grijalva earned All-American honorable mention in the 1,500-meter event as the Northern Arizona University track program opened its time at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships at the University of Oregon's historic Hayward Field on Wednesday.
Day took fourth place in the nation in the final of the 10,000-meter, clocking a time of 28:39.03 while Baxter finished right behind him to earn fifth in the country at 28:39.35.
"These guys have competed and performed since the first week of September in a long year with some big asks for their team, their school and for each other and tonight was another example of that," director of track and field Michael Smith said. "It was how we've done it all year. They were racing tough, they were racing together and they were competing and racing the field. They've done that through cross country, indoor track and to the very end of outdoor track."
"I don't think they might be satisfied with it now but I know in the big picture that tonight was an incredible race," Smith added. "I told them this morning that the way we do it is just as important as what happens and the way they did it tonight, racing tough like that, was great to see."
The race got out fast as a trio of runners from the University of Alabama took the first lap out in a minute flat. Day and Baxter kept the hard pace and eventually took control for the middle laps. With 400-meters to go, the two found themselves right in the lead group of five athletes but with hard kicks by the field and lapped runners clogging the inside the two Lumberjacks ran out of real estate.
"You got a 10k that goes out in 60 seconds, that just was never going to feel good," Smith said. "I saw a lot of great athletes tonight not be able to handle that and Tyler and Matt were right there in the end. What more can you ask for? With 400-meters to go we got two of our guys in a pack of five and they were fighting for it."
"What might have cost us a little in the end there was we were some of the athletes pushing the pace in the middle," Smith concluded. "That's a risk they were willing to take and while it might cost us a bit that's more the race we want to run."
With the performance Day and Baxter now rank sixth and eighth all-time in Big Sky history. Both also received their first-team All-American honors for finishing in the top eight of the event.
Luis Grijalva also competed at the opening day of nationals and came away with a 15th-place finish in the semifinals of the men's 1500-meter with a time of 3:49.85. Because of a technicality, the two slower times than Grijalva's that qualified to the finals out of the first heat bumped the freshman to 17th, good for an All-American honorable mention.
"All these guys, they're never satisfied which makes them great athletes but as a coach knowing we have a freshman that qualified in the 1500-meter that gained experience at this level, that makes me really happy heading into the summer as we have so much time to work with Luis," Smith said. "The confidence and courage that he's displayed to get here says so much about him and today is a great moment in his career."
"I told him, hey man come back here in 365 days and have this day be a part of his story of how he made it here and competed really tough," Smith added. "He got experience here and he realizes this is the level he wants to compete at and I think it's awesome. It's a really special day for him. He might not know it yet, but it is."
While it is still early in the championships, the NAU men find themselves in 12th overall with nine points while the women's squad will look to get on the board tomorrow across multiple events.
The Lumberjacks will be back in action with day two of the NCAA National Championships on Thursday. Brooke Andersen will get the day started for Northern Arizona in the final of the women's hammer throw at 1:30 p.m. MST. Helena McLeod will then compete in the women's long jump final beginning at 5:30 p.m. MST. Ashley Taylor will close things for the Lumberjacks in the semifinals of the 800-meter race at 5:44 p.m. MST.
NAU COMPETING ATHLETES
Men's 1500m Semifinal
17.
Luis Grijalva - 3:49.85
Men's 10000m Final
4.
Tyler Day -Â
28:39.03
5.
Matt Baxter -Â
28:39.35
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