Beebe hurdles his way into USATF National Championships

ATLANTA, Ga. – All it takes is a single minute to change history. Sometimes it takes even less. A mere 50.66 seconds is all it took senior hurdler Cory Beebe (Medina, Ohio) to place fourth in the 400-meter hurdles race at the Georgia Tech Invitational and qualify him to compete in the 2010 USATF (U.S.A. Track & Field) National Championships. Additionally, the time is among the top-five in Division III all-time history. 

Beebe is the only Salisbury University men’s track & field athlete to ever qualify to compete in the championships, which will be held from June 23-27 in Des Moines, Iowa. The Medina, Ohio, native will be up against some of the toughest competition in the entire country. Of course, he is no stranger to such competition; the field of athletes which Beebe was up against on Saturday afternoon was stacked with Division I athletes.

His time also solidified his place in the Salisbury University record books as Beebe shattered his own 400-meter hurdles record of 51.28 seconds, which he set earlier this year.

But Beebe didn’t make the trip alone, as two of his teammates also traveled down South to compete in their respective events. Senior sprinter Delannie Spriggs (Owings, Md.) raced in the 100- and 200-meter dash races, posting times of 10.60 seconds and 22.14 seconds, respectively. His 100-meter time was good for 12th place.

Freshman Matt McMurdo (Chalfont, Pa.) represented the Sea Gulls in the field events, participating in the javelin throw. His throw of 185’ 8” earned him 16th place in the event.

The Sea Gulls will travel to Ewing, N.J., to compete in the Lions’ Last Chance Qualifier, hosted by The College of New Jersey, on May 20.