Athletics News

Drake, Samma Qualify for NCAA Championship Camels Send Two Men to Nationals for First Time in Same Season

March 10, 2008

NEW LONDON, Conn.-- Connecticut College senior Keith Drake (Norwich, Vt.) and Alex Samma (Ougadougou, Burkina Faso) have qualified for the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. Ohio Northern University will host the national championship this weekend in Ada, Ohio.

Drake set a school record in the mile, posting a time of 4:11.75 in the Valentine Invitational at Boston University. His time of 4:12.21 in the New England Division III Championship at Tufts moved him even higher on the list of provisional qualifiers due to the course adjustment. Drake was a national qualifier for the Camel cross country program in 2006. Under the direction of men´s cross country coach and assistant track & field coach Jim Butler, Drake has continued to develop and improve his performances as a distance runner.

Samma set a school record at the Tufts University Invitational February 16, covering a distance of 46 feet, 10 and ¾ inches. He has been working closely with assistant coach Tessa Donoghue, who is in her second season with the Camel Track & Field program.

This will mark the first time that two men have qualified for an NCAA Track & Field Championship at Connecticut College. Connecticut College Athletic Hall of Fame Member Dave Barron ´94 was the last Camel to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. As a team captain in his senior season, Barron garnered All-America honors in the weight throw for his second-place performance at the 1994 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship.

Head Coach Ned Bishop was pleased with the national recognition for his program and is looking forward to an exciting weekend of competition in the Buckeye State.

"Our coaching staff is incredibly proud of both guys," Bishop asserted. "We are looking forward to a successful completion of the indoor season this weekend."

Drake is seeded sixth out of 13 qualifiers. He will run in the trials Friday night at 5:00 p.m. The top 10 will advance to Saturday´s finals that will be run at 2:30 p.m. Drake is seeded third in his heat. The top three finishers in each of the two heats advance to the finals with four more runners being added to this group base on their time trials. An individual national champion will be crowned from the field of 10 with the top eight scorers being named as All-Americas.

Samma is seeded 12th out of the 12 qualifying student-athletes. He will compete Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. The top nine jumpers will advance to the finals. From the field of nine finalists, an individual national champion will be crowned. The top eight scorers will be named to the All-American Team.

For more information contact: William Tomasian (860) 439-2501; william.tomasian@conncoll.edu