March 4, 2011
• Complete Results | Complete Results 
MADISON, Wis. -- Score one for Plan B.
Originally, Reed Connor’s quest to qualify for the 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships was going to take him away from Madison, to one of the last-chance meets known annually for its fast times in the distance events.
Instead, the sophomore opted to take a run at making his first national meet on his own home track.
The change of heart paid dividends for Connor on Friday, as he blazed to a personal-best time of 7:56.68 inside the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center to punch his ticket to the NCAA championships.
“I told (coach) Mick (Byrne), ‘I have some school work, I want to sleep in my own bed and I can do it at home, so let me stay here,’” Connor said. “He said, ‘If you think you can do it, I trust you.’
“Well, I did it.”
Connor’s mark has him among 20 athletes that have qualified to compete in the 3,000 meters at the NCAA meet – including sophomore teammate Maverick Darling, who ranks eighth nationally at 7:52.31.
Unlike the other qualifiers, however, Connor’s time wasn’t achieved on an oversized or banked track, surfaces known to produce faster times. His mark is the fastest collegiate 3,000 run on a flat, 200-meter track this season.
Apply the NCAA-mandated conversion factor for times achieved on a 200-meter oval and Connor’s time becomes a 7:53.88 that stacks up 15th nationally. The time also means the native of The Woodlands, Texas, will get the chance to run close to home, with the NCAA championships set for next weekend in College Station.
“We’re going to Texas, that’s where I’m from,” Connor said. “I’m hyped to go back and run in front of the home crowd, so to speak.”
Friday, Connor used the home crowd in Madison and little help from his friends, with teammates Alex Hatz, Rob Finnerty and Drew Shields all helping to set the pace early in the race. Over the final 1,000 meters, however, it was all Connor – running alone against the clock.
“It’s always tough running against the clock, normally the clock wins,” Connor said. “I felt like I had a fighting chance today and I went for it.”
Connor joins Darling – who is qualified in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters – as well as sophomores Mohammed Ahmed (5,000 meters), Zachary Mellon (800 meters) and redshirt freshman Japheth Cato (heptathlon) on the Badgers’ list of NCAA qualifiers.
Among the other Badgers competing in the Wisconsin NCAA Qualifier, junior Wes Kavelaris claimed the top spot in the pole vault over teammate Mickey DeFilippo on the criteria of misses after both cleared 16 feet, 3/4 inch.
On the track, Adum Gross won the 60-meter hurdles in 8.12 seconds after clocking a time of 8.11 in the prelims, while Andrew Milenkovski (49.57) won the 400 meters and Patrick Plank (22.64) claimed the 200 meters.
Freshman Jake Erschen, competing unattached, took the win in the mile with a time of 4:12.52.
The Badgers will look to add to their list of NCAA qualifiers Saturday, as the 4x400-meter quartet of Grant Bughman, Kyle Jefferson, Gavin Robertson andDrew Simmons look to lay down a qualifying time at the Iowa State Last Chance in Ames, Iowa.
