Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Four Blue Raiders qualify for indoor championships
3/2/2017 7:55:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
Rutto, Laari, Egbeniyi, Abu have sights set on Texas
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Four Blue Raiders finished in the Top-16 nationally in their respective events to secure a spot in the NCAA Indoor Championships held March 10 and 11.
Senior Eliud Rutto, junior Sampson Laair, and sophomores Abike Egbeniyi and Agnes Abu surged up the ranks in the final week of the regular season for a trip to College Station, Texas for a shot at a national title.
Rutto qualified for the men's 800-meter run with a school-record time of 1:46.70 at the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 10. The Kenya native's time stood as the eighth-best time in the country by season's end.
Laari finished the season ranking No. 16 in the nation in the mile run with a time of 3:58.75. His mark set a personal best and is a vast improvement from his season-high time of 4:09.71 in last season's C-USA Championships.
The distance duo of Rutto and Laari also shined the C-USA Championships two weeks ago, combining for 32 individual points and grabbed MT's first C-USA indoor title in program history.
Egbeniyi and Abu both qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 800-meter run following breakout sophomore seasons.
Egbeniyi set a school record, previously held by Abu, with a time of 2:04.45 in last weekend's Boston University Last Chance Meet. Abu qualified with a time of 2:04.63 set also in Boston a week ago. The two have also been named C-USA Female Track Athlete of the Week a combined three times this season.
Egbeniyi and Abu finished the year ranked Nos. 13 and 15, respectively.
Senior Eliud Rutto, junior Sampson Laair, and sophomores Abike Egbeniyi and Agnes Abu surged up the ranks in the final week of the regular season for a trip to College Station, Texas for a shot at a national title.
Rutto qualified for the men's 800-meter run with a school-record time of 1:46.70 at the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 10. The Kenya native's time stood as the eighth-best time in the country by season's end.
Laari finished the season ranking No. 16 in the nation in the mile run with a time of 3:58.75. His mark set a personal best and is a vast improvement from his season-high time of 4:09.71 in last season's C-USA Championships.
The distance duo of Rutto and Laari also shined the C-USA Championships two weeks ago, combining for 32 individual points and grabbed MT's first C-USA indoor title in program history.
Egbeniyi and Abu both qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 800-meter run following breakout sophomore seasons.
Egbeniyi set a school record, previously held by Abu, with a time of 2:04.45 in last weekend's Boston University Last Chance Meet. Abu qualified with a time of 2:04.63 set also in Boston a week ago. The two have also been named C-USA Female Track Athlete of the Week a combined three times this season.
Egbeniyi and Abu finished the year ranked Nos. 13 and 15, respectively.
Players Mentioned
XC/Dist.
/ Track & Field/Cross Country
XC/Dist.
/ Track & Field/Cross Country
XC/Dist.
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