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Print Indiana University junior and former Leo standout Andy Bayer finished second in a men’s 1,500 meters preliminary heat on the second day of the NCAA outdoor championships Thursday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Bayer finished in a time of 3 minutes, 39.95 seconds, just behind winner Ryan Hill of North Carolina State. Hill’s time was 3:39.84.
The top five from each heat and the next two best times advanced to the finals, which will be at 12:17 p.m. Saturday.
Purdue senior and former Columbia City standout Leah Eber finished ninth in the women’s long jump. Eber went to the finals with a prelims jump of 20 feet, 8 inches. In the finals, her best effort was 20-4 1/2 .
The winner, Whitney Gibson of Texas Christian, went 22-4 1/2 .
Kansas State’s Erik Kynard successfully defended his high jump title, clearing 7-9 1/4 .
Kynard held off Indiana’s Derek Drouin in a thrilling final, though his last stab at tying the collegiate record of 7-9 3/4 fell short.
Boise State’s Kurt Felix won the decathlon with 8,062 points, while Tim Glover defended his title in the javelin with a throw of 268 feet.
Southern Illinois’ Jeneva McCall won the women’s hammer throw at 225-3 after finishing second last year, and TCU’s Whitney Gipson took the long jump at 22-4 1/2 .
Two area athletes will finish their college track careers today. Notre Dame senior Kevin Schipper, a Bishop Dwenger graduate, and Virginia Tech senior Hunter Hall, a Homestead graduate, will compete in the men’s pole vault finals at 5:30 p.m.
