March 12, 2010
Day 1 Results | Day 1 Results 
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Zach Mellon wanted to make sure he got the full NCAA championships experience in his first-ever trip to the national meet.
Thanks to his performance in the preliminaries of the men’s 800 meters Friday inside the Randal Tyson Track Center, that’s exactly what the University of Wisconsin freshman will get.
Mellon ran a time of 1:49.73 to finish fourth in his heat and earn the eighth and final qualifying position for Saturday’s final round. In doing so, he put himself in position to earn All-America honors in the event in his first NCAA indoor championships appearance.
“It was fun,” Mellon said. “It was good to go out there and make the final, and I’m feeling better about tomorrow after working out some of the nerves.
“Tomorrow will be different.”
A week removed from setting Wisconsin’s school record in the event at 1:47.45 to earn the No. 4 seed for the national meet, Mellon ran well enough to move on despite running a race that, he admitted, didn’t go exactly as planned.
“I think I gave the other runners more respect than I needed to,” Mellon said. “They’re great athletes, but I’m here to compete with them, not just watch them do well.”
Mellon ran at the back of the pack until the bell sounded for the final lap, and he began his charge through the field with 150 meters to go. Moving around the outside on the backstretch, Mellon picked off four spots before coasting home over the final 30 meters.
The top three finishers in each of the two prelims heats, as well as the next two fastest overall times, advanced to the final.
Oregon senior Andrew Wheating, who made his move to the front when Mellon did, won the section and clocked the top overall time at 1:49.23. Virginia freshman Robby Andrews won the first heat and clocked in second-fastest at 1:49.31.
Andrews and Mellon are the only underclassmen in the eight-man field for the final.
On the women’s side, senior Megan Seidl finished 17th in the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 8 3/4 inches. Competing in her first NCAA indoor meet, Seidl cleared each of the first two heights before bowing out of the competition when the bar went to 5-10.
Seidl went over 5-7 on her first attempt and then cleared 5-8 3/4 on her second try before missing on all three attempts at 5-10.
The Badgers continue competition in the championships Saturday, beginning with sophomore Dorcas Akinniyi in the women’s pentathlon. The five-event competition begins at 11:30 a.m.
Also competing Saturday are senior Chavon Robinson in the women’s triple jump at 6:30 p.m., Mellon in the finals of the men’s 800 meters at 7:35 p.m. and senior Craig Miller in the men’s 3,000 meters at 7:55 p.m.
