University of New Hampshire Athletics
Elinor Purrier and Nicholas Ritzo earned America East All Academic honors Wednesday.
Purrier, Ritzo Earn Academic Honors
5/23/2018 4:41:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Track and Field, Women's Track & Field, Academics
Purrier, Shanahan Take Aim at NCAA Prelims on Thursday
DURHAM, N.H. – University of New Hampshire just-graduated track & field standouts Elinor Purrier (Montgomery, Vt.) and Nicholas Ritzo (Rye, N.H.) have been named to the America East Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team.
The league announced the All-Academic honors Wednesday.
Ritzo has finished his UNH career. He earned a spot on the podium in the shot put, discus throw and javelin in his final appearance in the America East Championships earlier this month.
Purrier is one of two Wildcats, along with hammer thrower Michael Shanahan (Dover, N.H.), who are wrapping up their careers in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that start with preliminary rounds Thursday.
They will compete at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Tampa, Fla., and attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championship Finals, which are scheduled from Wednesday, June 6 to Saturday June 9 for Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
ALL-ACADEMIC
Ritzo had a 3.94 grade point average while earning his degree in genetics. He won UNH's male Award for Academic Excellence for having the highest GPA.
Purrier was named to the All-Academic Team for the ninth time overall during her UNH career and third time during an outdoor season.
NCAA EAST PRELIMS
Forty-eight athletes are competing in each event at the East Prelims in Tampa and 48 more at the West Prelims in Sacramento, all looking to advance to Eugene. Twelve athletes in each event will qualify to move on to the NCAA Finals.
The timing of events at the Prelims has been adjusted due to weather concerns.
Shanahan will compete in the hammer at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday. The 48 competitors will each have three throws and those with the top 12 distances will advance to Eugene.
Shanahan is seeded 12th in the hammer throw at 227 feet, 5 inches. He set the mark in a home meet on April 14.
Purrier is seeded eighth in the 1500 meters with a time of four minutes, 15.07 seconds that she set while winning the America East Championship. The 1500 begins at 2 p.m. and she will run in one of four heats.
The top five finishers in each heat, along with the runners with the next four fastest times, will advance to Prelim finals Saturday at 1:15 p.m.. The top five finishers in each of two heats of 12 on Saturday, along with the runners with the next two fastest times, will advance to Eugene and the NCAA Championships.
NCAA QUOTEWORTHY
"This is Elle's final go-round in her fantastic five-year career. As far as the NCAAs are concerned, this is a new event for her. She won the event at the America East Championships this year and it was a part of a double victory for her at the America East championships in 2016 when she also won the 800. After her success in the mile indoors this year, she's excited about running the metric mile outdoors."
Coach Robert Hoppler
"It's really a high-pressure environment. At the same time, you've just got to tell yourself there's nothing else you can do. There's no going back in time to change the training or try to get more work in. The work's already in. . . . Just go back, relax. The throw that's going to be needed isn't a hard throw for me at this point. It's something I've worked five years to make sure I have it. Just go in. Try to take all the stress, push it away. Lay back. Let the ball fly a little bit."
Hammer thrower Michael Shanahan
BACK TO THE NCAAS
Purrier, a 10-time All American, and Shanahan are coming off impressive showings in the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. Purrier won the NCAA Championship in the indoor mile and Shanahan earned first-team All American honors with a seventh-place finish in the weight throw.
LINKS
Live stats: https://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/external/track-field/results/d1/outdoor18/East/index.htm
Livestream: https://bit.ly/2IMww77
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
The league announced the All-Academic honors Wednesday.
Ritzo has finished his UNH career. He earned a spot on the podium in the shot put, discus throw and javelin in his final appearance in the America East Championships earlier this month.
Purrier is one of two Wildcats, along with hammer thrower Michael Shanahan (Dover, N.H.), who are wrapping up their careers in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that start with preliminary rounds Thursday.
They will compete at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Tampa, Fla., and attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championship Finals, which are scheduled from Wednesday, June 6 to Saturday June 9 for Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
ALL-ACADEMIC
Ritzo had a 3.94 grade point average while earning his degree in genetics. He won UNH's male Award for Academic Excellence for having the highest GPA.
Purrier was named to the All-Academic Team for the ninth time overall during her UNH career and third time during an outdoor season.
NCAA EAST PRELIMS
Forty-eight athletes are competing in each event at the East Prelims in Tampa and 48 more at the West Prelims in Sacramento, all looking to advance to Eugene. Twelve athletes in each event will qualify to move on to the NCAA Finals.
The timing of events at the Prelims has been adjusted due to weather concerns.
Shanahan will compete in the hammer at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday. The 48 competitors will each have three throws and those with the top 12 distances will advance to Eugene.
Shanahan is seeded 12th in the hammer throw at 227 feet, 5 inches. He set the mark in a home meet on April 14.
Purrier is seeded eighth in the 1500 meters with a time of four minutes, 15.07 seconds that she set while winning the America East Championship. The 1500 begins at 2 p.m. and she will run in one of four heats.
The top five finishers in each heat, along with the runners with the next four fastest times, will advance to Prelim finals Saturday at 1:15 p.m.. The top five finishers in each of two heats of 12 on Saturday, along with the runners with the next two fastest times, will advance to Eugene and the NCAA Championships.
NCAA QUOTEWORTHY
"This is Elle's final go-round in her fantastic five-year career. As far as the NCAAs are concerned, this is a new event for her. She won the event at the America East Championships this year and it was a part of a double victory for her at the America East championships in 2016 when she also won the 800. After her success in the mile indoors this year, she's excited about running the metric mile outdoors."
Coach Robert Hoppler
"It's really a high-pressure environment. At the same time, you've just got to tell yourself there's nothing else you can do. There's no going back in time to change the training or try to get more work in. The work's already in. . . . Just go back, relax. The throw that's going to be needed isn't a hard throw for me at this point. It's something I've worked five years to make sure I have it. Just go in. Try to take all the stress, push it away. Lay back. Let the ball fly a little bit."
Hammer thrower Michael Shanahan
BACK TO THE NCAAS
Purrier, a 10-time All American, and Shanahan are coming off impressive showings in the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. Purrier won the NCAA Championship in the indoor mile and Shanahan earned first-team All American honors with a seventh-place finish in the weight throw.
- This will be Purrier's fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
- The is her first time running the 1500 at the Prelims.
- The previous three years she has competed in the 3000 meter steeplechase and each time she has advanced from the Prelims to the NCAA Championships.
- This will be the ninth straight time Purrier has competed in the NCAAs at the end of a season.
- It will be her 10th time competing in the NCAAs overall in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.
- Purrier won the NCAA Indoor mile title in March with a time of 4:31.76, which was .06 ahead of Colorado's Dani Jones in the closest finish in the event since 1991.
- This is Shanahan's third trip to the East Prelims.
- He is looking to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time.
- Shanahan's throw of 72 feet, 8.5 inches earned him a seventh-place finish at the Indoor championships.
- The result made him a first-team All American.
LINKS
Live stats: https://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/external/track-field/results/d1/outdoor18/East/index.htm
Livestream: https://bit.ly/2IMww77
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Throws
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