The N.C.A.A. Track and Field Championships open Wednesday in Des Moines, and U.N.I. will have a total of three events competing over the weekend. Holli Hosch qualified in the 800 meter run and has the best chance to earn All-American status of the Panther events.
The senior from Independence says she’s honored to be going back to the national meet. Hosch says it’s really hard to get to the championships and it is a great honor to make it.
Hosch qualified for Nationals by running the 800 in 2:05.16 at the Regional Meet in Oregon last month. That time was more than three tenths of a second better than her preliminary time, and she says she is capable of running even faster. She says prelims usually go out a little slower, and she knew she could do better.
Hosch says she’s looking forward to competing Drake’s blue oval in front of what she says will be a big contingent of fans from her hometown. Hosch says she usually runs well in Des Moines and it will be exciting, although she says it makes her a little more nervous to perform well in front of all of her family and friends.
Hosch’s preliminary race is at 6:00 on Wednesday night. U.N.I.’s men’s 4×100 team will be the first Panther event to run at the Championships. Their race goes off at around 5:45. U.N.I.’s other qualifier is Olimpia Nowak in the heptathlon.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls