The Cavalier daily :: Thursday, May 17, 1973 :: University of Virginia Library

Kent Merritt is eying a
national sprint title, Phil Meyer
is hoping for "the big psyche
to get into the finals," and
Tom Freshwater just wants "to
jump against top-notch
competition."

All three are presently
training for the NCAA
nationals, to be held June 7-9
on the Tartan track of
Louisiana State University in
Baton Rouge. Merritt will
compete by virtue of his ACC
championship in the 100-yard
dash; both Meyer and
Freshwater qualified with their
career-best performances in
April track meets.

As is the case with all
eligible conference
title-holders, Merritt's expenses
will be covered by the NCAA.
Three-miler Meyer and triple
jumper Freshwater, who both
finished third in the ACC meet,
must pay their own way. The
alleged inequity has prompted
the two to apply for funding
from the University athletic
department, although such
action is doubtful, according to
U-Hall sources.

"We don't want to set a
precedent whereby we are
obligated to send every
qualified athlete we've got to
the nationals. It's just too
expensive," explained track
coach Lou Onesty. "And
hopefully Tom and Phil can
place in the top five, in which
case they would be reimbursed
by the NCAA."

A gold medal finish from
Merritt would be the
University's first national track
title in memory. According to
one track and field bulletin, he
rates a co-favorite with Ed
Hammonds of Memphis State
and Carl Lawson of Idaho
State. All three have run 9.3
hundreds, although Merritt's
20 mph. wind-aided 9.1 in the
conference semifinals would
give him the bettor's edge.

"My chances are pretty
good," said the two-sport star,
who was runnerup to N.C.
State's David Thompson for
the ACC athlete of the year.
"It all depends on my start and
what condition I'm in. The
winning time should be at least
9.2."

In last year's nationals,
Merritt never got past the
preliminaries. By the fate of
the draw, his first round
competition included three
world class sprinters and with
only the top three finishers in
each heat advancing to the
quarterfinals, Merritt packed
his bags early.

"I've got a lot of training
work to do after exams," said
Merritt, "but I will be ready
this time."

For Meyer, the most
outstanding long distance
runner in the University's
history, the nationals will be a
psychological, as well as
physical, test. Still recovering
from his early season
tendinitis, Meyer has, as of
late, begun to favor his injured
ankle – a tendency that could
ruin his timing in Baton Rouge.
Even a healthy Meyer will be
hard-pressed to reach the
finals; the necessary qualifying
time should be around 13:39,
ten seconds faster than his
personal best.

Freshwater has no visions
of medals or even high
placement. "Of course, it
would be fantastic to finish
high," said the realistic
first-year man, "but the main
thing is the people. This season
there was no opportunity to
compete against really
outstanding triple jumpers,
besides at the ACC's. None of
us made the Penn Relays
because, by coincidence, they
were scheduled the same
weekend as the conference
meet."