Caroline DelVecchio Qualifies for NCAA Finals in 400-Meter Hurdles

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Caroline DelVecchio ran a 1:00.87 in the prelims of the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Championships on Thursday afternoon, earning her one of eight spots in Saturday's finals.

DelVecchio, who earned All-America honors last year in the 400 hurdles by coming in sixth, will earn one of the eight All-America spots again this year as long as she finishes the race without a disqualification on Saturday. 

Her 1:00.87 placed her third in the first heat, and she had to wait out the final two heats to learn that she was safely through to the finals. Her time was also just .22 off her own CMS record, which she set last year at the NCAA Championships in Geneva, Ohio. 

Natalia Sawyer of Buffalo State had the top time in prelims with a 58.90, while Emma Lawrence of Wisconsin-La Crosse was first in DelVecchio's heat with a 59.03. 

The Athenas will be in action tomorrow when Brooke Simon competes in the pole vault, when she will try to earn All-America honors for the fourth time (twice indoors, twice outdoors). Simon comes in as the No. 3 seed after clearing an even 4.0 meters to win the SCIAC Championship and then passing that at 4.03 meters at the Redlands Last Chance meet last week.