Gonzaga University
Oxy Invite
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
