UMKC track & field junior distance runner Bryce Miller earned a spot in the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a school record-breaking performance in the qualifying round on Wednesday, June 8.
Miller, an Ashland, Wisconsin native, made his way to Eugene, Oregon for the second-straight year in the steeplechase, where he was a second team All-American in 2015 with a 14th place finish in the event.
With the fifth-fastest time in NCAA Division I coming into Wednesday’s race, Miller knew where he stood among the tough field. The qualifying round consisted of 24 athletes, two heats of 12, with the top-five times in each heat plus the next two fastest times in the round advancing to Friday’s final.
Miller ran in the first heat, meaning he would need to finish in at least seventh to have a shot at Friday, which is exactly what he did. The heat was extremely fast, with the junior breaking his personal and school record by four seconds, clocking in at 8:34.32 in seventh place.
“We figured the race would go out fast,” distance coach Brett Guemmer said. “We knew he needed to be with the group and close the race fast. It was a tough section and he handled it well.”
After doing his part, he had to wait on the second heat to learn if he would make it to Friday, and running with the fast section certainly helped his cause, as his seventh-place time was faster than anyone in the second heat, securing his spot in the final.
Along with his PR, Miller was just shy of the Olympic qualifying standards, coming up just over two seconds shy of hitting that mark, something he hopes to get to in the finals on Friday.
“Breaking his own record and being just off the Olympic standard is exciting going into finals,” head coach Shameika McField said. “Bryce has worked hard and has earned the right to the finals. He is just a phenomenal young man on and off the track. His talents continue to show through his improved performances.”
The finals for the 3,000-meter steeplechase will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene on Friday, June 10 at 5:54 p.m. PST (7:54 p.m. CST). The event along with the rest of the finals on Friday will be broadcast on ESPN and will also be available online at WatchESPN.com.