EMU track champion Michael Allen's best triple jump was just one centimeter too short for the NCAA National Championships.

Michael Allen Narrowly Misses Final NCAA Field In Triple Jump

In 2009 and 2010, Michael Allen (Fork Union, Va./Louisa County) went to the NCAA National Championships in the triple jump. This season, he was named the ODAC Men’s Athlete of the Meet as he won both the long jump and triple jump at the conference championships and provisionally qualified in the triple in the process.

But the junior found out Sunday that he would not be making a third consecutive trip to the NCAAs.

Although junior Michael Allen had provisionally qualifed for the NCAA National Championships during the season, he didn't make the final group of participants which was announced over the weekend.
Although junior Michael Allen had provisionally qualifed for the NCAA National Championships during the season, he didn’t make the final group of participants which was announced over the weekend.

The NCAA announced it would take 19 participants for the event, and Allen’s best leap was just one centimeter short of the final spot.

Sam Ludgood of Mount Union claimed the last entrance ticket with a top jump of 14.50m. Allen landed at 14.49m at the ODAC Championships in April.

Allen’s best jump as a sophomore was measured at 14.83m, and he set the EMU outdoor record at 14.85m as a freshman.

He also holds school records in the indoor triple, long and high jumps, and is tied for the outdoor long jump mark.

EMU’s men’s track and field stand-out has participated in the national track meet three times in the outdoor season and twice in the indoor season, but will now have to wait until his senior season to build on those numbers.