Johnson, Verfuerth Qualify for NCAA Outdoor Nationals

From Sports Information Director, May 20, 2012 | Men's Track & Field
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College freshman Justin Johnson and sophomore Mike Verfuerth have both qualified for NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Burns Track Complex in Claremont, Calif.

Johnson qualified in both the 110- and 400-meter hurdles, while Verfuerth advanced in the long jump.

Johnson enters the 110 hurdles as the second overall seeding at 14.16 seconds, trailing only McMurry's Junior Saint Preaux's time of 14.00 seconds. Johnson is ninth in the 400 hurdles at 52.58 seconds. McMurry's Kevin Cunningham is the top time in the event at 51.02 seconds.

The 110 hurdles trials are set for 7:25 p.m. CDT Friday, with the championship race at 5:25 p.m. CDT Saturday. The 400 hurdles trials are at 7:25 p.m. CDT Thursday, and the final is at 6:55 p.m. CDT Saturday.

Verfuerth has the tenth-best distance among long jumpers at 7.33 meters. Wartburg's Jonas Elusme is the top seeding at 7.71 meters. The long jump with be contested at 7:50 p.m. CDT Thursday.

At the North Central College Last Chance Meet this past weekend, Johnson broke the school records in the 110 hurdles (14.16 seconds) and 400 hurdles (52.58 seconds). Taylor Pasterski finished in ninth place in the 200-meter run in 22.13 seconds.