Syracuse University
NCAA Outdoor Championship
Path to the NCAA Championship: Heath
6/10/2009 8:25:16 AM | Track and Field
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Seniors Kyle Heath (steeplechase) and Bernard Bush (long jump) and junior Uhunoma Osazuwa (heptathlon) have all qualified to represent the Orange at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Fayetteville hosted by the University of Arkansas. The four-day event spans from Wednesday, June 10 to Saturday, June 13.
Heath is making his second-consecutive trip back to the NCAA Championship and looking to repeat as an All-American. Last year, he broke the school record in the steeplechase and placed six, garnering All-America status (Top eight receivers All-America rank). Bush and Osazuwa have enjoyed great postseason success this year, but both venture into unchartered territory at their first NCAA Championship appearance.
Heath's route to the NCAA Championship will make up the second part of the Orange championship preview.
As a token of everything Heath has accomplished this year, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association honored the senior with the Men's Northeast Division Track Athlete of the Year award on Monday, June 8.
Heath punched his ticket to the NCAA Championship for the steeplechase event after becoming Syracuse's second-ever NCAA Regional champion two weeks ago in Greensboro, N.C. Jillian Drouin became the first in program history to achieve the feat after winning the high jump crown (1.84m) at last year's NCAA Regional.
The Farmington, N.Y. native recorded the East Region's fastest time of the year (8:40.89) in the steeplechase. Heath's mark, executed in the season opener at the Stanford Invite, currently stands as the fifth-best performance in the country.
Along with his two postseason victories (East Regional and IC4A) and All-BIG EAST laurels in 2009, Heath won the steeplechase at the Larry Ellis Invitational by outkicking his opponents in a time of 8:51.39. He has touched upon NCAA standards in all five of the races he competed in this year.
Heath is one of 25 steeplechasers to chase the national championship. The top eight performers are considered All-Americans.
Below is Heath's schedule for competition:
Wednesday, June 10 at 8:15 p.m.:
Steeplechase – Semifinal Round
Friday, June 12 at 6:40 p.m.:
Steeplechase – Final Round
