After two weeks off from competition, middle distance runner Patrick Casey is ready to return to the track at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, hosted by Drake University.
Casey has been among the national frontrunners in the 1,500-meter run all spring and is ready to make his move, hopefully to the top.
“Unlike indoor championships, Patrick is healthy and ready,” said head coach Dale Kennedy. “He's put in the right amount of training and really gotten a lot of great races in this spring to prepare for this meet.”
Casey kicked off his first outdoor season for the Bobcats at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 15 where he finished 10th, the lowest he'd place all season. Following the Mt. SAC meet, one of the most prestigious in the country, Casey was invited to the Oregon Relays where he took the bronze in the 1,500. Just a week later, the Laurel, Mont. native finished sixth at the Peyton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.
Before securing the fifth best finish in the West region at the NCAA Championship Preliminary Round, Casey earned Big Sky Conference championship titles in both the 800 and the 1,500.
Headed into the NCAA Championships, Casey sits with a fifth place seed with a time of 3:44.95, his timed final from Regionals. His fastest time this season clocked in at 3:41.34 at the Peyton Cardinal Invitational, which marks a new Bobcat program record.
Casey will compete in the semi-finals on Thursday, June 9, at 6:15 p.m. The top five from each heat, plus the next best two times will advance to finals on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Live results and web streaming will also be available throughout the three-day meet.
