Zach Perkins Earns Automatic Bid into NCAA Final

June 10, 2015

EUGENE, Ore. - Air Force senior Zach Perkins won his semifinal heat of the 1500-meter run during the opening day of competition at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships and earned an automatic spot into the finals. Perkins was one of two Falcons to compete during the first day of men's competition at Historic Hayward Field.

Competing in the first of two semifinal heats in the 1500-meter run, Perkins clocked a time of 3:45.63 to win the heat and advance to the national final, which is slated for Friday, June 12, at 4:45 p.m. It was a tight race from the starting gun, as the 12-man heat jostled for their place. Perkins moved into the front of the pack at the beginning and remained within the top-five (the group guaranteed a spot into the final) for the race. On the next-to-last turn, Perkins moved out of the pack and took over the lead. Holding off a late push from an Oregon runner, Perkins was first to the finish line to secure his spot in the finals. His time was 10th overall in the full 24-runner field, as the second heat moved at a much faster pace in order to earn the at-large bids.

Junior Dylan Bell also competed during the first day of action at Historic Hayward Field, tying for 16th in the pole vault with a clearance of 16'10¾". Bell entered the competition on the opening height of 16'10¾", clearing that bar on his second attempt. With 20 vaulters remaining after the initial height, the bar moved up to 17'4½". Facing a bar just two inches shy of his outdoor best, Bell was unable to clear and was one of six competitors to exit the competition at that height. With his clearance of 16'10¾" coming on his second attempt, Bell was one of four vaulters to tie for 16th.

Akron's Shawn Barber, the defending indoor pole vault champion, won the outdoor title with a clearance of at 18'4½". Memphis' Pauls Pujats finished second with a jump of 18'2½", while Stanford's Dylan Duvio, Texas A&M's Audie Wyatt and Cincinnati's Adrian Valles finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, with matching marks of 18'0½".

The Falcons continue action at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships tomorrow (June 11), when junior Hannah Everson competes in the final of the women's 10,000-meter run at 6:38 p.m. (PT).

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