Bucklin, Ellingson, Degen and Bak to nationals
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Four Simpson women's track and field athletes earned a place in the 2010 NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships, as announced late Sunday.
Senior Lauren Bucklin (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) qualified in the 100 and 400-meter hurdles, junior Catie Ellingson (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) qualified in the 1500-meter run, junior Chelsey Degen (Algona, Iowa/Algona) qualified in the discus throw and sophomore Kinsey Bak (Hinton, Iowa/Hinton) qualified in the high jump for Simpson.
The meet takes place May 27-29 at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.
A six-time All-American indoors and outdoors, 2010 marks Bucklin's third trip to outdoor nationals. A year ago she participated in the same two events, taking third in the 100 hurdles and eighth in the 400 hurdles. Bucklin enters this year's competition tied for the third-best qualifying time in the 100 hurdles (14.16) while boasting the second-best time in the 400 hurdles (62.12).
Ellingson turned in an All-American performance in the 1500 meters a year ago, taking fifth place. She is making her third trip to nationals in as many years, qualifying in the 800 as a freshman in 2008. Ellingson ran a career-best time of 4:28.16 at the North Central Gregory Invite on May 21, resetting her own school record and giving her the No. 4 time in the nation.
Degen makes her third trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in as many years, qualifying in the discus throw in 2008 and 2009. A year ago she came within one spot of All-American status, placing ninth. This year, she goes into the meet with the fourth-best effort in the nation, a throw of 151-1 at the Central Invite on May 7.
Bak comes into the meet fresh off a third-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships and benefits from the experience of competing in last year's outdoor meet. She qualified for the event by clearing a school record height of 5-7 ¼ at Simpson's Kip Janvrin Open on April 23, tying her for the second-best performance in the nation.
Simpson's Schedule of Events
| Day | Time | Event | Athlete |
| Thursday | 4:15 p.m. | 1500 (P) | Ellingson |
| Thursday | 5 p.m. | 400 hurdles (P) | Bucklin |
| Friday | 3:30 p.m. | 100 hurdles (P) | Bucklin |
| Saturday | 11:30 a.m. | High Jump (F) | Bak |
| Saturday | Noon | Discus (F) | Degen |
| Saturday | 1:20 p.m. | 1500 (F) | Ellingson |
| Saturday | 1:45 p.m. | 100 hurdles (F) | Bucklin |
| Saturday | 3:15 p.m. | 400 hurdles (F) | Bucklin |
(P) - Preliminaries
(F) - Finals
