Muir Posts Qualifying Mark & School Record

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University's Tina Muir qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships while setting a new school record in the 10,000 meters as the Bulldog women's track and field squad sent selected members to a "last-chance" meet on Thursday and Friday (May 12-13).

Muir won the 10,000 meters in a school-record time of 35:07.25 at the annual Dr. Keeler Invitational hosted by North Central (Ill.) College in Naperville, Ill.  The meet took place inside Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium and served as a final opportunity for student-athletes to post national-qualifying performances.

Ths showing qualifies her for the NCAA Division II Championships slated for May 26-28 in Turlock, Calif.  It is also among the nation's top 10 times in the event this year and came in only her second race of the season, including her first-ever showing in the 10,000 meters.

Muir's time was more than three minutes better than the previous school mark of 38:26.96 recorded by Kristen Balla in 2007.

FSU's Amy Joostberns earned runner-up laurels in the discus (137-2) with Jessica Pilling placing second overall in the hammer throw (170-3).

Meanwhile, sophomore Zoey Hohmann placed fourth in the 200 meters (25.68) and came in fifth in the 400 meters (57.53).

Freshman Samantha Johnson took fourth place in the 1,500 meters (4:32.87) with senior Paige Onweller finishing 16th (4:41.28) and sophomore Alyssa Osika coming in 25th (4:47.47) of 67 finishers in the same event. Johnson's time was the third-best outdoor event time in Bulldog history.

The Bulldogs have several provisional qualifiers for the NCAA-II Championships. The complete championships field will be announced later this week.