Brad Morell and Damian Hackett qualify for NCAA Championships

Morell, Hackett Set To Represent Big Red At 2024 NCAA Championships

2024 NCAA Track and Field Championships logo

Meet Information

Hayward Field | Eugene, Ore. | June 5-8

Schedule | Results | Watch (Day One - Men) | Watch (Day Two - Men)

2024 Outdoor East First Rounds Rewind

EAST FIRST ROUNDS RECAP (OUTDOOR)

Brad Morell started the Big Red's day with a strong performance. He tossed a personal-best 66.95-meter hammer throw to put himself at the top of the standings with one flight of throws remaining. Morell's mark would hold up as he would finish in sixth-place to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships. Damian Hackett took third in his heat, finishing the 1500-meter run in 3:43.56 to qualify for the quarterfinals. Shane Racey earned a 5.22-meter pole vault in a strong effort, but fell short of qualifying for the next round with his 24th-place finish. Ryder King ran 52.75 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing fifth in his heat and 40th overall.

Hackett punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships in the 1500-meter run on Friday evening. Hackett ran a time of 3:39.26 in the 1500-meter run, lowering the Big Red all-time record, previously set by Hackett, by two seconds.

Derek Amicon ran a personal-best time of 8:50.9 in the 3000 steeplechase. He would finish seventh in his heat and move himself to fourth all-time in the Big Red record books. His time was 15th overall which slotted him three spots out of qualifying for the next round. Rhys Hammond took part in the distance events as well, finishing 14th in his 5000-meter run heat (14:16.40), and finished 25th which was 20 spots ahead of his projected finish.

DAY ONE RECAP | DAY TWO RECAP

 

Augustine Haquet was the lone Big Red competitor on day two of the NCAA East First Round, as she would advance to the 1500-meter run NCAA quarterfinals. Haquet clocked the 15th fasted time of the day, threatening her personal-best with a 4:15.22 time to take 7th in the first heat.

Big Red pole vaulter Avery Hilliard was the lone women's track and field Cornellian to compete on day three of the NCAA East First Rounds. Hilliard matched the Cornell school record in the pole vault with her 4.20-meter mark to finish in15th-place.

Haquet set a personal-best in the 1500-meter dash on Saturday evening at the NCAA East First Round. She clocked a 4:14.09 which placed her ninth in heat two and 16th overall in the East. Margaret Dalseth joined Haquet as one of two Big Red competitors on the final day as she competed in the 3000 steeplechase, finishing 16th in her heat and 40th-place overall.

DAY ONE RECAP | DAY TWO RECAP | DAY THREE RECAP

Avery Hilliard and Ethan Sandusky high-five following Hilliards record-breaking pole vault.
COACHES CORNER

Adrian Durant 

“We’re proud of Brad and all that he’s achieved in his time at Cornell. Brad is an Ivy League Champion and one of the top throwers in Cornell Track & Field history, we’re happy to have him joining Damian to represent the Big Red on the National stage.”

 

“Damian is a 5 time Ivy League Champion and School record holder. He is one of the best to ever do it with the Block C on his chest. I’m looking forward to seeing Damian perform at Eugene and show why Cornell is a well-respected name in the Track world.”

The Cornell track and field team competes at the 2023 Indoor Heptagonal Championships from Feb. 24-26, 2023 in Hanover, N.H.
The George Heekin '29 Head Coach of Men's Track and Field
The Cornell track and field team competes at the 2023 Outdoor Heptagonal Championships from May 5-7, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pa.

Mike Henderson 

"Damian has continued his steady development, and had a fantastic season. His trip to Eugene is well deserved for all the work he has put in, and we are excited to have him representing Cornell on the biggest stage in our sport.

Everyone on the starting line out there has incredible credentials, so his results will come down to efficient positioning early in the race and then seeing who has a strong finishing kick on the day. We are just going to focus on competing and hopefully times and places take care of themselves from there."

 

 

The Cornell track and field team competes at the 2023 Indoor Heptagonal Championships from Feb. 24-26, 2023 in Hanover, N.H.
Alan B. '53 and Elizabeth Heekin Harris Head Coach of Women's Track & Field/Men's and Women's Cross Country
The Cornell Big Red men’s and women’s track & field teams compete at the Kane Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Barton Hall in Ithaca, NY.
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHTS
Brad Morell competes in the hammer throw at the NCAA East First Round

Brad Morell - Hammer Throw 

Brad Morell has personified consistency on the oval this season. He has competed in the hammer, discus, and shot put earning six first-place results across events. His personal-best hammer throw of 66.95 meters came this season at the NCAA East First Round to punch his ticket to the Championships.

 

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket track team competes in the GT Invite on Friday, April 21, 2023 in Atlanta, GA.
Damian Hackett competes in the 1500-meter run.

Damian Hackett - 1500m 

Damian Hackett has finished in the top-10 in six of the eight outdoor races that he has competed in this season. He claimed the 1500-meter top-spot in the Cornell record book at the Virginia Challenge and then proceeded to lower that top-mark by two seconds at the NCAA East First Rounds (3.39.26) to clinch a spot in the NCAA Championships.

Cornell track and field

 

FOLLOW THE ACTION

Big Red thrower Brad Morell and distance runner Damian Hackett will gear up for competition at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Events are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 5 and conclude on Saturday, June 8 at Hayward Field. Competitions will be broadcast on ESPN 2 and ESPN.

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