Northern Kentucky University track and field athlete John Michael Griffith will compete at the 2015 USA Track and Field Junior Nationals on Saturday at historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
Griffith will run in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The freshman is the first athlete in the program’s history to every qualify for the meet.
“I am super excited and could not be more thankful for the opportunity to compete,” Griffith said. “The race is going to be hard and I’m prepared for that. I‘m going to sit back, bide my time, and when the time comes, I’m going to trust my kick and run as well as possible.”
Griffith qualified for the elite-level meet with a time of 9:25.97 in his second-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational in March. The trip to Eugene, Oregon, caps off a strong freshman campaign that saw the Fort Thomas, Kentucky, native earn a bronze-medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Outdoor Championship.
“It’s a big, big deal and we’re all very excited for John Michael,” head track and field coach Steve Kruse said. “Even for a freshman, John Michael has run so many races on an oval that once he gets on the track he’ll feel comfortable. Hayward Field has a truly special feel to it, but you have to put that all aside and remember that it is a race and you have another 15 guys you’re going against. “
The 3,000-meter steeplechase at the USA Track and Field Junior Nationals is set for 8:17 pm Eastern on Saturday. Final results will be posted on NKUNorse.com as they are made available.
Field Earns Capital One Academic All-America Honors
Northern Kentucky University track & field/cross country athlete Clare Field was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Capital One Academic All-America third-team. Field is the first NKU athlete to receive the distinction since the program moved to NCAA Division I.
“I’m very excited,” Field said. “I’m very honored to be included in such a talented group of student-athletes from all over the country. It’s surprising, but I could not be more excited. I could not be more grateful for the support that I have had from the faculty and staff here at NKU. I could not have done it without them.”
The recently graduated senior from Louisville, Kentucky, maintained a 4.0 GPA while majoring in public relations. This latest CoSIDA honor adds to an impressive list of academic citations that Field has received during the 2014-15 school year.
Among the accolades, Field was named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District Team, the 2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team and earned the 2015 NKU Athletics Presidential Award for the highest GPA among student-athletes.
“I’m so very proud of Clare,” head track & field/cross country coach Steve Kruse said. “Clare is the hardest worker I have ever seen in the classroom. The whole time here she never lost focus of the life after being a student-athlete. Just like she prepared herself for a race, she prepared herself for life. She is going to be very successful and getting this honor is just phenomenal.”
In athletic completion during the 2014 cross country season, Field ran a 5K personal-best of 20:40.20 at the Kentucky Blue Grass Invite and 6K personal-best of 25:39.10 at the Rhodes Invite. During the 2015 indoor track and field season, the senor ran an 800-meter personal-best of 2:39.60 at the Tom Hathaway Distance Carnival. In outdoor track and field action, Field ran a 5,000-meter personal-best of 20:19.53 to place 18th at the Centre Twilight.
From NKU Athletics