(Video interview courtesy of Mark Moschetti, SPU Sports)

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Western Oregon track & field team had three athletes compete in preliminary races on day one of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship at the IMG Academy.
 
Senior Sam Naffziger and sophomore David Ribich each qualified for the final in the 1,500 meters while senior Stephanie Stuckey closed her collegiate career running in the women's 1,500-meter race.
 
Naffziger was third, finishing on the inside, in the second heat of the 1,500 meters in 3:49.87 and Ribich, just off of his teammate's right shoulder, came in fourth in 3:49.90 to grab two of the four spots for the title race on Saturday.
 
Both runners stayed near the middle of the pack over the first 800 meters and assessed how the race was playing out.
 
"I was just keeping a head count during the race. We were all sitting around fourth the whole time, which is automatic," Ribich said post-race.
 
Over the final 400, both WOU runners moved into the top four and created a two-man barrier to hold onto the final auto-qualifiers out of the second heat. The final will see the two WOU runners joined by conference mate Marc-Antoine Rouleau, who ran the top qualifying time.
 
"Having three GNACs in the final, that's good – that's exactly what we wanted to do," Ribich said.
 
All three runners from the Pacific Northwest had to adjust to the heat and humidity of Florida's Gulf Coast.
 
"We got off the plane, and it was a little bit of a shock," Naffziger said "I'm grateful we came down on Tuesday and got a little acclimated yesterday and today. … Having an extra day off (before finals) will be good."
 
Ribich entered the meet with the third-fastest qualifying time in the nation (3:43.41) posted at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif. Naffziger had the 10^th best time entering Thursday's race with a 3:46.99 run at the Portland Twilight meet.
 
Naffziger and Ribich will compete in the 12-man final at 5:35 p.m. Eastern (2:35 p.m. Pacific) on Saturday. The top-eight will earn All-American status.
 
Stuckey had a strong showing in the second heat of the women's 1,500 meter race, but finished outside the top-12 qualifying threshold with a time of 4:38.60.
 
On Friday, a trio of WOU runners will participate in the 800-meter qualifying heats in day two of the NCAA meet. Beginning at 6:05 p.m. Eastern (3:05 p.m.) Pacific, junior Josh Dempsey will run in heat one, senior Badane Sultessa will be featured in heat two and senior Josh Hanna runs in heat three.
 
Follow along with the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor T&F Championships via the following links:

• Live Coverage on NCAA.com: Day 2 | Day 3
• Live Results
• Start Lists
• Meet Schedule

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