UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Michigan Tech senior Andrea Metz won the 1,500 meter run in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 4:38.33 at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference outdoor track and field championships Friday (May 2). She broke the previous school record of 4:41.63 set by Kristen Crouch in 1992. Metz, who finished ninth in the prelims yesterday (May 1), defeated Susie Rivard of Grand Valley State by 0.27 seconds.
“She ran a smart race today. She started conservatively and then made a move with the leaders,” said head coach Margot Hutchins. “This was a great ending to Andrea’s career.”
Metz settled into the middle of the pack at the start of the race. She slowly moved up through the field with less than 700 meters to go. A group of runners from Grand Valley State started to up the tempo with 400 meters to go. Metz accelerated with 250 meters to go and created a little bit of a gap that she held until the finish line.
“I have been racing well all year and have ran a personal best in each of my 1,500 meter races this season,” said Metz. “I am in the best fitness of my life thanks in part to training at altitude during the NCAA skiing championships in Bozeman. I thought if I could hang with the lead pack I might be able to make the podium. I ran with the leaders and I felt I could go faster. I gave it everything I had because I figured this would be the last time I would ever put on a Tech jersey.”
The win was the first by a Michigan Tech female at the GLIAC track and field championships since Erin Ballun won the high jump in 2006. Metz also finished eighth in the 3,000 meter run (10:50.94).
Ballun finished second in the event at this year’s meet with a jump of 5-6. She tied with two other women with a height of 5-6 but finished second due to the number of misses.
Laura Kangas posted a seventh place finish in the 5,000 meter run in a time of 19:38.75.
On the men’s side, Robert Haynes finished fourth in the 100 meter dash (10.95) and fifth in the 200 meter dash (22.28).
“Rob ran well today against a headwind. We hope he will be able to earn a provisional qualifying time next week,” said Hutchins.
Ken Gilkerson finished seventh in the 800 meter run in 1:56.73.
The 4x100 meter relay team of Steve Worthy, Akeem Cason, Aaron Tetzloff and Haynes ran the third fastest time (42.80) in school history to finish fourth.
The women’s team finished ninth out of 10 teams with 22 points. The men’s team finished eighth out of nine teams with 23 points.
Photo Credit: Michigan Tech
