University of Connecticut Athletics
Rutt and Gagnon Off To Track Town, USA
6/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
June 19, 2009
STORRS, Conn. - From June 25-28, two University of Connecticut athletes will enter Track Town, USA and compete in the United States Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. Redshirt junior Michael Rutt (Sinking Springs, Pa.) and redshirt senior Brian Gagnon (Lowell, Mass.) have earned the prestigious right to compete in the 800-meter race with some of the nation's fastest mid-distance runners.
This will be the first appearance at the USATF Championship for either runner. The top-three finishes in the race qualify for a spot on the United States track team and will compete at the 2009 World Championships.
Rutt and Gagnon redshirted the 2009 outdoor season after earning All-America honors in the 800-meter during the indoor season. They both have been running unattached at competitions during the spring and have improved personal record times by a few seconds.
"I would have to say that this redshirt season has been a complete success for Mike and Brian," said UConn Head Coach Greg Roy. "They have done everything that they can to improve and now it is just about them and what they can do on the high stage domestic level."
During the New Balance Twilight Series Meet held in Boston, Mass. on June 13, Rutt and Gagnon finished one/two with personal record times of 1:46.47 and 1:46.56 respectively. Their times, the 14th and 16th fastest in the country among all USA track athletes, earned them a spot to compete with the track elite in Oregon.
Out of the 38 athletes that qualified for the 800-meter race, 11 of them will be representing a university. Rutt and Gagnon stand second and third in this group of runners, with only Andrew Wheating, a 2008 Olympian, ranked ahead of them.
UConn is one of two universities with two runners in the 800-meter race and the only school with both athletes ranked in the top-20. The other school, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville finished the year ranked fourth in the country while their top runner and USATF competitor, Andrew Wheating captured the 800-meter title.
Hayward Field was the site of the '72, '76, '80, and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Eugene has long been dubbed "Track Town, USA" for its rich track and field history and the community's overwhelming appreciation of the sport traditionally bringing standing-room only crowds to each and every meet.
-UCONN-
Players Mentioned
