AZUSA—Chico State men's track and field's middle-distance runners just keep getting faster. And thanks to their clutch performances on the final day of the Azusa Pacific Last Chance Meet, both Conor Wells and Rory Abberton assured themselves a chance to do it one last time in 2022—at the NCAA Championships!
 
Among six Wildcats who set new personal bests in the 1,500 meters Saturday night, Wells and Abberton finished second and third in their heat, respectively, and in the field that was 107 runners deep. Wells finished in 3:44.27, bettering his personal record by nearly two seconds, moving into sixth on Chico State's all-time fastest in the 1,500, and moving into 14^th in the nation in the event. The senior who also ranks No. 14 in the nation in the 800 meters thanks to his performance Friday night, will almost surely represent Chico State in both events at the NCAA Division II Championships, May 26–28, at the Grand Valley State University Track and Field Stadium in Allendale, Michigan. 
 
He won't be alone, however. Abberton will almost certainly join him in the 1,500 meters after the senior bettered his PR by more than two seconds, finishing with the seventh fastest time in school history (3:44.78), and moving into 18^th place on the NCAA Division II list.
 
Sophomore Brian Hastings will not be joining them, but he will carry some great momentum into next year thanks to his heat two winning time of 3:48.23, which is also an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. Hastings won his heat by better than a second while shaving more than a second off his personal record in the event. Over the next several heats, Chico State's Bennett Woodward, Joshua O'Neill, and Dylan White also PR'd. Woodward finished in 3:53.72, O'Neill in 3:55.50, and White in 3:56.67. All three times represent massive PRs and left the Wildcats withing the top third of the talented field. 
 
Six more Wildcats competed Saturday but did not improve a previous mark. Daniel Hernandez (4:01.19) and Michael Ramirez (4:04.84) finished 52^nd and 64^th, respectively, in the 1,500 meters. Adam Kasten placed 12^th in the long jump with a leap of 7.16 meters. Parker Williams was 12^th in the 110-meter hurdles (15.10 seconds) and eighth in the 400-meter hurdles (55.34). Peter Normann III was 12^th in the steeplechase with a time of 9:40.93). And pole vaulter Cristian Brady placed second with a clearance of 4.85 meters.
 
Brady will join Wells and Abberton in Michigan thanks to his school-record mark of 5.12 meters, set earlier this season. That ranks 13^h in the nation. Several other Wildcats are on the bubble, boasting NCAA provisional qualifying marks but unsure if they will be enough for an NCAA Championship selection: Hastings ranks 53^rd in the 1,500; Brayden McLaughlin ranks 24^th in the 10,000 meters and 41^st in the 5,000 meters; Jack Emanuel ranks 28^th in the 5,000 meters and 36^th in the 10,000 meters; Cameron Duquette ranks 47^th in the 10,000 meters, and Joshua O'Neill ranks 71^st; Williams ranks 40^th in the 110-meter hurdles; and the 4x400-meter relay team of Bryan Payne, Kevin Telford, Williams, and Ty Thomson, ranks 40^th in the nation.
 
The Championship field will be announced at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. 
 
Chico State Men Competing in the Azusa Pacific Last Chance Meet
 
Saturday, May 14
Noon: Men's Pole Vault
2. Cristian Brady, 4.85 meters
 
Men's Long Jump
12. Adam Kasten, 7.16 meters
 
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles
12. Parker Williams, 15.10
 
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles
8. Parker Williams, 55.34
 
Men's 1,500 Meters (107)
2. Conor Wells, 3:44.27 (PR by nearly two seconds, PQM, 6^th in school history, 14^th in the nation)
3. Rory Abberton, 3:44.78 (PR by more than 2 seconds, PQM, 7^th in school history, 18^th in the nation)
13. Brian Hastings, 3:48.23 (PR, PQM, 53^rd in the nation, won Heat 2 by better than a full second, PR'd by more than a second)
27. Bennett Woodward, 3:53.72 (PR by more than 3 seconds)
35. Joshua O'Neill, 3:55.50 (PR by more than 2 seconds)
37. Dylan White, 3:56.67 (PR by more than 2 seconds)
52. Daniel Hernandez, 4:01.19
64. Michael Ramirez, 4:04.84
 
Men's 3.000-Meter Steeplechase
12. Peter Normann III, 9:40.93
 
Friday, May 13
 
Men's 800 meters
3. Conor Wells, 1:49.06 (PR, PQM, 3^rd in school history)
14. Walker Doucette, 1:51.88 (PR)
19. Brian Hastings, 1:53.03 (PR)
 
Men's 5,000 meters
6. Jack Emanuel, 14:16.28
25. Daniel Hernandez, 14:44.11
27. Joshua O'Neill, 14:45.17
35. Dylan White, 14:55.73 (PR)
41. Michael Ramirez, 15:09.42
 
Men's 10,000 meters
Brayden McLaughlin, 30:47.26