Riley Capuano Qualifies for NCAA Finals in 1500 Meters for Athenas Track and Field

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Riley Capuano earned a 10th place finish in prelims in the 1500 meters at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, advancing through to the finals on Saturday

Capuano finished with a 4:34.05 to place 10th, above the cutline of the 12 positions to advance through to the finals. She was .54 ahead of 12th place, and 1.7 seconds ahead of 13th place. 

Elle Marsyla competed in the 10000 meter finals for CMS and earned a 16th-place finish in 36:49.48. Laura Zimmer also ran in the 1500 for the Athenas and came in 16th place with a 4:37.09

Capuano will join Natalie Bitetti in Saturday's finals, when Bitetti will run in the 5000 meters (an event which doesn't have a preliminary round), as both will try to add to their All-America honors from this season. 

Bitetti has earned All-America distinction twice as an individual by finishing second at the cross country nationals and second in the 3000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, and also captured it once with the distance medley relay team at indoors.

Capuano, meanwhile, finished 11th at the cross country championships and was part of the DMR team in the winter, as was Zimmer. Marsyla captured All-America in the fall with cross country, where she finished 27th.