Ana Tucker is ready to run for two national championships.
The Hope College senior will race in two events at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, Match 11, at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama.
Tucker qualified for the women's 1-mile final by clocking a time of 4 minutes, 52.62 seconds during preliminaries on Friday. The exercise science major recorded the third-fastest run among the two heats. Tucker finished within less than a second of the other top runners.
The 1-mile run final is scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m. ET. Tucker already has qualified for the women's 3,000-meter final at 5:55 p.m. ET, where she is seeded fifth.
"Ana had a really good day. She did what she needed to do in the mile," head coach Kevin Cole said. "She really set herself up to have a good race tomorrow. She's going after it."
Saturday's races can be watched on NCAA.com.
Tucker anchored Hope's ninth-place distance medley relay, teaming with senior Ellie Jankowski (Granger, Indiana / Penn), senior Grace Behrens (Mishawaka, Indiana / Trinity School at Greenlawn), and freshman Madison Stern (Saline, Michigan / Saline) for a run of 11:52.31.
The top eight finishers earned All-America honors. Washington University in St. Louis won the relay at 11:35.09.
"They ran a good race. It's nationals. It's a tough field," Cole said. "They felt a little disappointed, but I don't think they should. It was a really good race."
In the 200 meters, freshman Sara Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / T.C. West) finished 19th in the nation.
Schermerhorn posted a time of 25.20 seconds The top eight runners advanced to the finals on Saturday, March 11. Kianna Benjamin of Bowdoin College (Maine) recorded the fastest at 24.50 seconds.
"To get to nationals as a freshman is impressive," Cole said. "I'm hoping we have seven more chances to get there with her."
Gallery: (3-10-2023) 2023 NCAA Women's Indoor Track
