Lowery and Olympic Trials

[JackJD]

Brad Lowery is running in a select meet at Occidental College in Los Angeles this evening (about 7:25 PM Pacific) in a last shot at improving his time at 1500. Brad will be a senior at SDSU. He's on the list for the Olympic Trials but there are several "last chance" meets this weekend and Brad's about #28 out of 30.

Lowery is running with the best and has established himself as one to be reckoned with.

Prediction: Lowery improves his 3:43 and is in the Olympic Trials.

[89rabbit]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

JackJD,

Glad you are here to keep us all up to date on what is going on with the SDSU track and CC programs. It is clear you have a passion, so keep up the good work! ;D


Go State! 8)

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

SDSU's Brad Lowery ran a 3:42+ for 1500 meters in LA last evening...I'm not sure about the exact timing but it appears its a personal best for Brad by about two-tenths of a second.

We should know within a few days whether Brad's on the list for the Olympic Trials. I believe the 30 top 1500 meter runners make the trials.

A 3:42 1500 is real close to a 4-minute mile. Brad continues to improve and will have an outstanding senior year in cross country this Fall.

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

It appears my information in my last post may be incorrect. I've tried to verify how Brad did and cannot get the results from the meet in Los Angeles. My source for the last post realized that he was looking at the pre-race seedings/times.

So....still waiting to hear if Brad made it to the Olympic trials and I'll post as soon as I see the official results from last evening's meet.

Go Jacks.

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

Here are the results from the Men's 1500 meters at the Occidental College (Los Angeles) distance meet yesterday (6/27). It appears SDSU's Brad Lowery didn't improve his time...so, we'll soon know whether Brad is a qualifier for the Olympic Trials (top 30 are qualifiers).

Section 1
1 Scott McGowan, Unattached 3:37.73
2 Jonathon Riley, Nike Farm Team 3:38.54
3 Sean O'Brien, Nike Farm Team 3:38.71
4 Drew Griffin, Nike Farm Team 3:38.85
5 Brandon Strong, Unattached 3:40.14
6 Rob Mitchell, Nike Farm Team 3:41.81
7 Joel Atwater, adidas 3:44.53
8 Brad Lowery, South Dakota St 3:46.21
9 Chris Estwanik, Nike Farm Team 3:50.92
10 Jeremy Huffman, Nike Farm Team 3:52.37
Section 2
1 Eric Sauoth, Nike Farm Team 3:42.11
2 Brendan Rodgers, Nike Farm Team 3:42.38
3 Ian Dobson, Stanford 3:43.04
4 Ryan Ponsonby, Unattached 3:43.67
5 Brian Sullivan, Cal Coast TC 3:45.46
6 Bryon Lamorandier, Asics Aggies 3:45.50
7 Erik Emilsson, Unattached 3:47.68
8 Matt LoPiccolo, Syracuse 3:51.78
9 Eddie Venegas, Unattached 4:02.60
10 Damien Rinaldi, Santa Monica TC 4:04.47
11 Roosevelt Cook, Asics Aggies 4:12.20
12 Luis Jacobo, Unattached 4:40.47

As you look over the list, note that most of the runners are affiliated with a team (e.g. Nike Farm Team). Those are promissing runners who are now out of college. We've learned that runners can continue to improve long past their early 20s. Keep that in mind as you watch Brad Lowery continue to develop.

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

Here's the news from the track meet in Los Angeles Sunday night: Brad Lowery (will be a Senior at SDSU) was running in 2d place on a 3:38 pace (that's a 3:56 mile equivalent) heading into the final straightaway when his hamstring went on him...he had to jog it in, finishing in a 3:46 (think about jogging in a still runnning a 4:04 mile equivalent).

Brad was on the list for the Olympic Trials but it appears sufficient runners improved their times this past weekend to bump him off.

Lowery would make any track team and cross country team in the country at any level. And the Jacks have him for one more year!

Go Jacks.

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

Lowery has one more shot at making the Olympic Trials. There's a meet at the U of Indiana and if the hamstring feels okay, Brad will give it a go.

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

We are all pulling for you, Brad! I hope you get well enough to give it a go! We are proud of you! Good luck!

JBNJBQ

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

Nope. Hamstring not working well and no meet this weekend.

Lowery had a great season and will have a great season next year. In the running world, he's made a name for himself and everyone knows he runs for SDSU.

[water]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

It is unfortunate this DI thing will rob him of a chance at a national title in his senior year. All we hear is how this move will take some time and how bold it is, don't hear about the athletes who will fall through the cracks.

[89rabbit]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

Sportsfan,

I would like to direct you to the thread titled "D-I envy (probably a good thing)" I think reading it might help you with some of your issues.

Next lets talk about your tired argument. Lets start with the fact that anyone who is in our Freshmen or Sophomore classes was recruited with the knowledge that SDSU was moving up to D-I. That leaves the Jr. and Sr. they have the option of transferring down to D-II (without penalty), if they want a "chance" at what Chris Solari called a "lesser Division" National Championship.

We have seen one athlete transfer from NDSU to USD and we have seen one athlete from SDSU transfer to MSU-Mankato, and we say good luck to them and any others that want to follow. May their dreams come true.

The ones who stay will be competing at a higher level. Matching their skills against the best in the Nation. They will rise to the challenge, they will aim high and succeed at being the best that they can be. Your concern and pitty is not needed or welcomed by these athletes, because they know that the glory is in the compition not in the hardware. Once again, please take the time to read jackmd's post I think it will help.

Go State! ;D

[JackJD]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

It is unfortunate this DI thing will rob him of a chance at a national title in his senior year. All we hear is how this move will take some time and how bold it is, don't hear about the athletes who will fall through the cracks.

Sportsfan: There are several points you do not understand. First, it's great getting a national title but we all know there's another division above us (or, if you want to, think about it this way: When the U of Sioux Falls wins an NAIA National title in football, I'm very happy for them but do you think any of the teams in the NCC feel USF is the best team in the country?). Second, in track and field and cross country, there's another factor to consider: age. D-2 schools can have athletes running for them who are ineligible for D-1 competition due to age. There are many examples in the recent few years when some D-2 runners beat the top D-1 runners. In other words, there have been times (albeit rare) when the D-2 national champ in an event can beat the D-1 national champ. Runners, particularly distance runners, are proving that they improve with age and many are in their peak years in the late 20s (Now, I realize this second point seems somewhat inconsistent with the first point but that's okay...in running, it is fairly easy to compare times and a runner knows whether they're faster than the next guy).

Twenty-five years ago, the top NCAA College Division athletes in several sports (e.g. wrestling; cross country; track and field) could advance to the University Division championships which usually followed a week later. The college division athletes were then given a shot at becoming the true national champ and several did just that (go look at the NCAA results over the years).

Speaking of 25 years ago,...compare the SDSU schedules then and note that the move to D-1 is simply putting SDSU back into the same ranks it was in through the mid-70s.

Brad Lowery's times speak volumes. Sure, it would be nice to have a national title but Brad can go anywhere in the USA and they all know who he is in the 1500 meters. He'll get better, too. He'll have his chances to run against the D-1 champ...just follow the results.

Final thought: hiring Coach Danger's good friend, Rod DeHaven, was a great move. Lowery and his teammates really like and respect Danger and it will take someone special to take over the reins of the cross country program. DeHaven is the best choice for that role.

Go Jacks.

[water]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

I know and admire Brad. He is a great competitor. He is missing out at a national championship regardless of how you look at it and that means a lot to him.

Two more NDSU athletes will be transferring to USD to join the women's track team this fall.

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Lowery and Olympic Trials

I know and admire Brad. He is a great competitor. He is missing out at a national championship regardless of how you look at it and that means a lot to him.

Two more NDSU athletes will be transferring to USD to join the women's track team this fall.

I don't know Brad, but I would think that he's eyeing something bigger than a National Championship, that being the Olympics. This year may be out for him, but in four years he's looking good. Staying at SDSU with Coach DeHaven is a great move for him. Rod is obviously an accomplished runner with connections throughout the running world. Sticking with Rod gives Brad unlimited opportunities to help him prepare for the ultimate prize, Olympic Gold in 2008. Maybe that's a little 'pie in the sky' thinking, but even to represent the USA at the Olympics would have to feel better than an NCAA National Championship.