Wisconsin Badgers
Iowa State Classic
Badgers pick up three NCAA bids in Seattle
February 13, 2011 | Men's Track & Field
Feb. 13, 2011
• Husky Classic Results 
| Iowa State Classic Results
MADISON, Wis. -- Zachary Mellon is heading back to the NCAA indoor championships, and the Wisconsin sophomore will do so with some company from his teammates.
Mellon earned an automatic berth in next month’s NCAA meet by turning in a time of 1:47.97 to finish fourth in the 800 meters Saturday at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash. The run gives Mellon the top two 800 meters times in UW history, as he holds the Badgers’ school record at 1:47.45.
Mellon was one of seven athletes to earn an automatic NCAA bid from the Husky Classic race, with those seven athletes separated by less than a second at the front of the pack. Oregon’s Elijah Greer claimed the win in 1:47.02.
The distance duo of sophomores Maverick Darling and Mohammed Ahmed punched NCAA tickets in Seattle, as well, with the pair racing to top-five finishes in the 5,000 meters.
Darling -- already an automatic NCAA qualifier in the 3,000 meters after his run at last week’s GaREAT Collegiate Invitational – added a berth in the 5,000 by claiming fourth place in a personal-best 13:43.96.
Ahmed became the fourth Badger to earn a bid to the NCAA meet by finishing on Darling’s heels. The All-American’s season debut resulted in a fifth-place finish in 13:43.96 that has him headed to the NCAA indoor championships for the first time.
Ahmed finished third in the 10,000 meters at last year’s NCAA outdoor championships.
Darling’s time ranks No. 5 all-time at Wisconsin, while Ahmed’s mark is the sixth-fastest by a Badger.
Mellon, Darling and Ahmed join redshirt freshman Japheth Cato as NCAA qualifiers, as Cato earned a bid to the national meet in the heptathlon at the Wisconsin Elite Invitational.
Also at the Husky Classic, sophomore Rob Finnerty finished 13th in the 3,000 meters at 8:11.96, while freshman Alex Hatz crossed the line in 4:09.57 in the mile.
At the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa, the Badgers were led by the 4x400-meter relay team of Drew Simmons, Gavin Robertson, Grant Bughman and Kyle Jefferson.
The quartet combined to run the second-fastest time by a Big Ten team this season by clocking in at 3:09.06. The mark ranks as the No. 5 time in UW history and is the fastest by a Badgers relay team since 2000.
The only faster time in the conference was the 3:08.85 turned in by the Iowa squad that held off the Badgers for the win Saturday.
In addition, seniors Andrew Milenjovski and Mickey DeFlippo each claimed wins in their events.
DeFlippo won the pole vault with a final clearance of 16 feet, 8 3/4 inches that ranks him No. 5 in the Big Ten this season, while teammate Wes Kavelaris finished second by clearing 16-2 3/4.
Milenkovski won the unseeded 400 meters at 48.53 with teammate junior Brady Hammon just behind him with a second-place finish in 48.66.
Freshman Tyler Woloszyk earned 19th place in the seeded 400 meters, finishing in 48.72, with junior Pat Plank finishing 31st in a time of 49.18.
Six UW atheltes competed in the 60-meter hurdles, with Cato the lone Badger to advance to the finals with a time of 8.17 seconds.
Junior Temi Ogunbodede finished 24th at 8.28, junior Adum Gross finished 26th at 8.39, junior David Grzesiak grabbed 42nd at 8.48 and freshman Gregory MacNeill earned 43rd place at 8.49.
Also, Robertson finished 12th overall in the 60 meters at 6.89.
In the mile, senior Luke Rucks posted a second-place finish with a personal-best time of 4:05.49, and redshirt freshman Dan Buechel finished seventh by crossing the line in 4:07.47.
The Badgers will return home to host the Red & White Open on Friday, Feb. 18, at The Shell. Events begin at 3 p.m. and admission is free.
