Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Cabral is the Runner-Up in the Steeplechase; Banfich Scores in the 5000
June 12, 2010 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. (6/11/10) - Sophomore Donn Cabral finished second in the men's championship steeplechase on Friday, June 11 at the 2010 NCAA Track & Field Championships on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Cabral grabbed the quick lead from the gun but in the first lap Louisville's Matt Hughes would take the lead and would maintain it throughout the race. The pair has a history, as it ran a tightly contested race at the East Regional two weeks ago when Hughes recorded the top time in the NCAA followed by Cabral in second; and again on Wednesday when Cabral recorded the fastest time in the semifinals finishing in front of Hughes.
Today, Hughes would keep the lead through the race. Seven minutes in Cabral found himself slipping back into fifth place with Hughes and Iowa State's Hillary Bor out in front. Cabral pushed himself into third place but he had some catching up to do as Hughes and Bor grabbed a big lead. On the final barrier Cabral caught up to Bor and in the final 40 meters gunned past last year's second-place finisher to take second place at 8:38.90. Hughes finished at 8:34.18 and Bor at 8:39.11.
Cabral shaved just less than four seconds (3.94) off his time from the semifinals and finishes the year with the second-best mark in the NCAA at 8:35.60. His collegiate career isn't over. Cabral will run the 5000 tomorrow morning against teammate Kyle Soloff and former teammate Michael Maag.
Earlier in the day senior All-America Justin Frick competed in the men's high jump finals. He easily cleared the first two heights of 2.05 and 2.10 meters but couldn't make the 2.14 meter height on his three attempts, as just 12 jumpers advanced. Frick would finish 13th overall with a mark of 2.10 meters (6-10.75). Frick has reached the NCAA Championship in the high jump five times during his career at Princeton.
Sophomore Alex Banfich was a scorer for Princeton in the women's 5000-meter run in her first trip to the NCAAs in track. Banfich finished in eighth place with a time of 16:06.79. Iowa State's Lisa Koll, who won the 10,000 on Wednesday, won the event at 15:23.80 after leading the entire race. She and last year's winner Illinois' Angela Bizzarri had a big lead on the rest of the 22 competitors, but 11 minutes in Bizzari slowed her pace and then walked off the track, leaving Koll all alone way out in front. West Virginia's Marie Louise Asselin took second at 15:53.93 followed by Oregon's Alex Kosinski. A blanket finish followed with Banfich fourth in the mix.
On the final day of the NCAA Track & Field Championships, Cabral and Soloff will run in the 5000 at 11:21 a.m., while junior Ashley Higginson will try to mirror Cabral's success in the steeplechase on the women's side at 10:54 a.m.