Headed towards the final stretch

There is exactly one hour before McMurry's last event, the 4X400-meter dash. We've scored a few points today, and the goal for head coach Barbara Crousen is to finish in the top four teams, which ensures bring home an NCAA trophy.

Through the 400-meter finals, with the high jump, discus, 200-meter dash, the 5,0000-meter run and the 4X400-meter relay to go, McMurry is in seventh place with 17.5 points needing nine points to pass Springfield College for fourth. In addition, they'll have to pass Amherst (sixth) and Wisconsin-La Crosse (fifth). Both Springfield (26.0 points) and Amherst (18.0 points) are finished scoring, however, La Crosse has 23 points and has the 4X400-meter race to go.

McMurry's last event will also be the 4X400-meter race and will need to win the national title to take fourth place while La Crosse will have to finish in seventh or eighth place out of eight teams.

Stryker Pena (pictured) cleared the first bar at 6-6 in the high jump, but failed to advance on the 6-8 height. Although the final results are not in, it's unlikely the Pena finished in the top eight to score points.

McMurry scored points today with Kevin Cunningham finishing fourth in the 400-meter hurdles where Terry Smith finished eighth; both earned all-America status. The men's 4X100-meter relay team placed fourth with a time of 41.38 (0.35 seconds slower than their qualifying time). That team consisting of Kenneth Turner, Trevon Odom, Gavan Bass and Josh Zu-Bolton earned all-America status for their performance.

The 4X400-meter relay team consists of Kevin Cunningham, Terry Smith, Marcus Thompson and Kolby Barnhill. McMurry enters the finals with the sixth-best qualifying time, running in lane seven; the event begins at 4:55 p.m. EST.

We'll wrap it up later tonight
--KR