ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Don Kirby Tailwind T&F meet hosted by the University of New Mexico was the first track even in nearly a month for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) outdoor track and they fared well at the NCAA Division I event.
The Eagles raced in just three events on the day. The first being the 5000m. Nicholas Hernandez (SR/Madera, Calif.) finished in sixth in the race and was the first Eagle to cross the finish at 15:16.65., which punches his ticket for the NAIA National Championship. Demetris Love, Jr. (FR/Phoenix, Ariz.) came in next for ERAU placing ninth at 15:46.21. The third and final Eagle to finish the race was Austin Luttrell (SR/Santa Fe, N.M.) who finished 11th at 16:11.85.
The next race featured all three of the previously mentioned Eagles as well as Alexander Service (SO/Anthem, Ariz.) in the 1500m. The order stayed the same with the exception of Service, in his first ever 1500m race, running a slightly faster race then Luttrell. Hernandez finished in sixth again at 4:15.50. Love, Jr. ran his first collegiate 1500m in 4:21.77 and took 11th. Service ran just two seconds faster than Lutrell at 4:29.19 taking 19th and 20th.
The third and final race the 800m saw Darren Mudge (SO/Scotts Valley, Calif.) and once again Service. Mudge in his first 800m collegiate race, ran to 11th at 2:01.01. Servive came in 16th at 2:11.85 this was also his first 800m.
The Eagles will be back on a track at the end of April when they race at the Cal Pac Championships on April 30th.
