University of New Hampshire Athletics
Saturday, May 26
Tampa, Fla.
1:30 PM
University of New Hampshire
vs
NCAA Outdoor Championships - Quarterfinal
Caoch Robert Hoppler and Elle Purrier after her record-setting 1500 meter run.
Photo by: Hannah Berg
Purrier Sets Records in 1500, Cruises to NCAA Finals in Eugene
5/26/2018 2:25:00 PM | Track and Field, Women's Track & Field
TAMPA, Fla. – University of New Hampshire track and field standout Elinor Purrier (Montgomery, Vt.) did it again on Saturday.
Purrier led start to finish to set a New England collegiate outdoor record and win her quarterfinal heat of the women's 1500 meter run at the University of South Florida to earn another trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, to be held June 6-9 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Purrier crushed her own school record to grab the heat in a time of four minutes, 10.90 seconds and had the best time of the 24 runners competing in two heats. Danea Rivers of Penn State had the second fastest time at 4:11.75.
Purrier's effort also set a New England collegiate outdoors record in the 1500. The previous mark of 4:11.94 was set by Olympian Abbey D'Agostino in 2014. Purrier's previous UNH record was 4:14.48.
This is the fourth time Purrier will compete in the Outdoor finals. Each of the three previous times she has advanced in the 3000-meter steeplechase and earned first-team All American honors at the finals.
Purrier won the NCAA mile title at the Indoor Championships in Texas in March. This is her first time competing in the 1500 – the metric mile – at the NCAA level.
Hammer thrower Michael Shanahan (Dover, N.H.) and Purrier will represent UNH in Eugene. Shanahan advanced to the NCAA Championships round with a 12th-place finish in the hammer throw on Thursday morning in Tampa.
Shanahan also competed in the 2018 NCAA Indoor championships and earned first-team All American honors with a 7th-place finish in the weight throw.
"We're really happy with the weekend, to have Elle and Mike qualify for the NCAA Finals, just like they did indoors" said UNH coach Robert Hoppler. "We couldn't be happier as a staff. It's fantastic for Mike and fantastic for Elle and fantastic for Coach (Jim) Boulanger and the whole program."
SATURDAY'S DETAILS
The top 12 finishers in each event in Tampa advance to the NCAA finals here they will compete against the top 12 finishers from the West Prelims being contested in Sacramento, Calif.
There were two heats of 12 runners each for the women's 1500 meter quarterfinals Saturday. The top five finishers from each heat and the next two fastest runners advance to Eugene.
Purrier, who had the fastest time in Thursday's first round of the 1500, took Saturday's second heat out early and led at every checkpoint of the race.
The winning time in the first heat was a 4:14.22 turned in by Clemson senior Grace Barnett.
CLICK HERE to check out the full results of the women's 1500 meter quarterfinals.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS
COACH'S COMMENT
"For Elle to qualify for the NCAA finals for the fourth consecutive season sets her apart in terms of her consistent level of excellence. She made it four years Indoors and now four years Outdoors. That's an amazing testament to her ability as a track athlete and her consistency and mental toughness. We're really, really proud of what she's done."
Coach Robert Hoppler
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Purrier led start to finish to set a New England collegiate outdoor record and win her quarterfinal heat of the women's 1500 meter run at the University of South Florida to earn another trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, to be held June 6-9 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Purrier crushed her own school record to grab the heat in a time of four minutes, 10.90 seconds and had the best time of the 24 runners competing in two heats. Danea Rivers of Penn State had the second fastest time at 4:11.75.
Purrier's effort also set a New England collegiate outdoors record in the 1500. The previous mark of 4:11.94 was set by Olympian Abbey D'Agostino in 2014. Purrier's previous UNH record was 4:14.48.
This is the fourth time Purrier will compete in the Outdoor finals. Each of the three previous times she has advanced in the 3000-meter steeplechase and earned first-team All American honors at the finals.
Purrier won the NCAA mile title at the Indoor Championships in Texas in March. This is her first time competing in the 1500 – the metric mile – at the NCAA level.
Hammer thrower Michael Shanahan (Dover, N.H.) and Purrier will represent UNH in Eugene. Shanahan advanced to the NCAA Championships round with a 12th-place finish in the hammer throw on Thursday morning in Tampa.
Shanahan also competed in the 2018 NCAA Indoor championships and earned first-team All American honors with a 7th-place finish in the weight throw.
"We're really happy with the weekend, to have Elle and Mike qualify for the NCAA Finals, just like they did indoors" said UNH coach Robert Hoppler. "We couldn't be happier as a staff. It's fantastic for Mike and fantastic for Elle and fantastic for Coach (Jim) Boulanger and the whole program."
SATURDAY'S DETAILS
The top 12 finishers in each event in Tampa advance to the NCAA finals here they will compete against the top 12 finishers from the West Prelims being contested in Sacramento, Calif.
There were two heats of 12 runners each for the women's 1500 meter quarterfinals Saturday. The top five finishers from each heat and the next two fastest runners advance to Eugene.
Purrier, who had the fastest time in Thursday's first round of the 1500, took Saturday's second heat out early and led at every checkpoint of the race.
The winning time in the first heat was a 4:14.22 turned in by Clemson senior Grace Barnett.
CLICK HERE to check out the full results of the women's 1500 meter quarterfinals.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS
- The NCAA semifinals of the women's 1500 are scheduled for Thursday, June 7 in Eugene.
- The finals are set for Saturday, June 9.
- This is the ninth straight time Purrier has competed in the NCAAs at the end of a season.
- It is 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 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.
- Shanahan had a throw of 218 feet, 8 inches and finished 12th of 48 competitors to advance on Thursday.
- The finals of the men's hammer throw are scheduled for Wednesday, June 6.
COACH'S COMMENT
"For Elle to qualify for the NCAA finals for the fourth consecutive season sets her apart in terms of her consistent level of excellence. She made it four years Indoors and now four years Outdoors. That's an amazing testament to her ability as a track athlete and her consistency and mental toughness. We're really, really proud of what she's done."
Coach Robert Hoppler
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Players Mentioned
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