
Pollard Runs Regional Qualifier in Oregon
5/11/2019 10:20:00 PM | Track and Field
Senior runs second-fastest 1,500-meter time in GU history
SALEM, Ore. — In his final opportunity of the season, Gonzaga's Brandon Pollard ran a qualifying time for the NCAA West Region Preliminary Round at the West Coast Invitational Saturday.
Â
Pollard won the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:44.32. His time ranks second all-time in GU history, and was a personal record by four seconds. His previous PR was 3:48.85, which ranked sixth in program history, set in 2015. His 3:44.32 currently ranks 27th in the region.
At the Oxy Invite in Los Angeles, Aimee Piercy ran the second-fastest women's 3,000-meter steeplechase time in program history. She placed second at 10:30.62, besting her previous personal record of 10:44.39. Her new PR currently ranks 54th in the region.
Claire Manley moved up to fifth all-time at GU in the women's 5,000 meters. She crossed the line at 16:31.06, placing eighth in the event.
Â
In Salem, Scott Kopczynski's 3:46.22 second-place finish in the 1,500 meters Saturday, was nearly a qualifier. He moved from eighth to fifth in program history. Yacine Guermali placed fourth with a time of 3:48.91, which ranks seventh all-time at Gonzaga.
Â
Brianna Vasquez ran the third-fastest women's 400-meter time in program history. She placed fourth at 1:00.37. Gianna Bacher was fifth with a time of 1:02.49.
Â
In the women's 800 meters, Ally Legard crossed the line in second at 2:15.31, which ranks fourth all-time at GU. Claire Gillett was close behind in third at 2:17.75. Her finish is eighth in program history.
Â
Alex Walde improved his 10th-fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase time in program history. He placed eighth at 9:09.29, while Luke Mason was 10th with a time of 9:22.13.
Â
In the men's 5,000 meters, Andrew Clusserath was third at 14:34.89. Jake Perrin was fifth with a time of 14:40.01, while Stefan Bradley (14:47.54) and Cullen McEachern (14:49.36) were sixth and seventh.
Â
Phillip Fishburn (30:24.67), William Thompson (30:27.51) and Hunter Simpson (30:40.10) were third, fourth and fifth in the men's 10,000 meters.
Â
For each individual event contested at each of the Preliminary Round sites, the top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the competition. The complete field of participants for the NCAA West Preliminaries will be released this coming week.
Â
Currently the Zags have the following regional rankings:
3,000m Steeplechase – Andrew Gardner (12th, 8:46.16, 16th in NCAA), Kellen Manley (36th, 8:57.03) … 5,000m – James Mwaura (21st, 13:46.17, 27th in NCAA), Andrew Gardner (33rd, 13:52.03), Yacine Guermali (58th, 14:02.64) … 1,500m – Brandon Pollard (27th, 3:44.32) … 10,000m – James Mwaura (35th, 29:15.75)
Â




























