Season Comes to a Close

Thursday, May 26

Bloomington, IN

All Day

Troy University

NCAA Regional Championship

5/28/2011 9:13:42 PM | Track & Field

The season came to a close on Saturday as the 4x100-meter relay narrowly missed qualifying for nationals

By: Travis Jarome

Results (Live) :: Full Results [.pdf]

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (TroyTrojans.com) - The season came to end for the Troy University track and field program at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships East Preliminary on Saturday with the relay competition during the afternoon hours.

"As much as it hurts to be so close it was unbelievable the way this relay team performed at the Sun Belt Champioships and here," TROY Director of Track and Field Jill Lancaster said after the meet on Saturday. "Midway through the season Stanley (Arukwe) and Neko (Freeman) were looking to a new line-up with two new legs, and no collegiate 4x 100 experience. TROY is very serious about our relays, and they took Thaddeus (Curtis) and Chris (Upshaw) under their guidance and made things happen.

"Yes, we are disappointed in being so close, but we also realize how much they accomplished this year. They are already making plans for next year."

Senior Stanley Arukwe competed twice on the day, once individually and once as a member of the 4x100-meter relay team. The California-native missed the cut for the national championships in 200-meters as he crossed the line in a time of 21.63 seconds.

"Stanley got out great and put all he had into it today," Lancaster said. "He just came up short, but did a great job to close out his senior year having only run two years for TROY. He came along way in such a short time here, and he is going to be tough to replace."

He was ran the second-fastest time among Sun Belt Confernce runners, and finished 0.33 seconds away from the 12th and final spot.

"I had a great meet this week," Arukwe said. "I accomplished a lot and made the most of my goals that I set earlier in the year. I just didn't make the ultimate goal on making it to nationals, but it was a great season for TROY track and field."

Prior to the 200-meters, the senior laced up the shoes for a leg on the 4x100-meter relay team. The team at the meet was comprised of Arukwe, Neko Freeman - running his second event, Chris Upshaw and Thaddeus Curtis. The team entered the meet as the runner-up in the Sun Belt Conference, and narrowly misssed the cut for the national championships in the event this weekend as they finished 14th with a time of 40.43 seconds.

"As a team and individually we went through a lot of obstacles this season," Freeman said. "But our performances at regionals and conference showed that we can overcome anything put in front of us."
Curtis and Upshaw were replacements on the team midway through the year, but didn't skip a beat as they qualified for the regionals.

"I think we competed really and surprised a lot of people," Upshaw said. "It does hurt to come so close to nationals, but I am ready to come back after the summer."

Curtis came in as a true freshman, but didn't compete as one this season for the Trojans.

"Coming in as a freshman I was nervous," Curtis said. "I was nervous about going up against the top athletes, but I just thought to myself that I am just going to compete. When I did that, I was able to run well and we just missed making the cut for nationals."

A pair of Trojans competed earlier in the week, as junior Martins Pildavs missed the cut in his first regional at the NCAA Division I level.

"It was a great season and I am proud to be a Trojan," the junior javelin thrower said. "I am looking forward to next season and to be even more successful than I was this year."

Terrell Irons competed in the triple jump earlier in the meet, and was an alternate on the 4x100-meter relay team on Saturday.

"I figured out that I do belong at regionals," Irons said. "I just got to keep my mind on the straight and narrow path, and I will be back here again next year."

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