EUGENE, Ore. – Senior Miguel Baidal stormed to a ninth place finish in the men's 10,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Wednesday evening at Hayward Field.
 
In terms of season-best times, Baidal entered the national championship race ranked 21^st out of the 24 competitors (28:33.38). However, the native of Alicante, Spain ran a personal-best time of 28:17.99 to take ninth and earn second team All-America honors.
 
He was one spot, and just over a second away from making the podium.
 
It is the best NCAA finish by an EKU man in the 10,000 meters since Soufiane Bouchikhi took eighth in the event in 2012.
 
Kristian Imroth sailed into the final of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase on Wednesday, cruising to second place in his semifinal heat with a time of 8:26.75.
 
He will now race for a national championship in that event on Friday at 8:24 p.m. ET. The race will air on ESPN2.
 
EKU has now had a man advance to the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 11 of the last 13 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
 
Brighter Jepchumba will represent the Colonels on Day Two of the NCAA Championships. She will race the women's 10,000 meters at 10:56 p.m. ET.