ALLENDALE, Mich. — Welcome to Shippensburg University's 2014 NCAA Division II Track & Field National Championships blog at shipraiders.com where you can read accounts, reactions and observations from select SU student-athletes in competition this weekend from Grand Valley State University.

Throughout the week we will post feedback provided by the student-athletes detailing their experiences on the GVSU campus in Allendale, Michigan -- just outside of Grand Rapids.
 Eric Bologa

This has, by far, been my favorite nationals experience yet. I have been on two other trips like this and neither of those groups of people got along with each other as well as all of us do. Even the people who didn't really know each other too well before this past week, I think grew to become really good friends.

As most people know, the environment on a trip can impact performances, so obviously this great environment led to great performances.

First off, to make it to a national meet is a great honor in itself, so to make it for two events has been incredible. I feel really lucky to be able to compete in two events on a national level, but then to make finals in each event is mind blowing. Making it to finals is half the battle, once there you only have to beat one person to achieve All-American status.

I had prelims and finals for the 400 hurdles and 4x400 relay spread across three days, and I probably would not have recovered as well without the energy from my teammates and a special pair of boots (see picture below). The only downfall in competing in both of these events is that they were late at night, which means I wasn't really able to sit and watch too many other events this weekend.

I really want to thank whoever taught me to count in pre-school. Thanks to them, I knew before running the 400 hurdle finals that someone had dropped out so all I had to do was finish to make Top 8.

After that race ended, we just had one event left, the 4x400. Even though we ended up placing ninth, barely missing All-American, we had an insane season. We did everything right throughout the year: slowly dropped our time, won when we needed to, and ended up at the pinnacle of it all. I wouldn't have run with any other three guys on that team, and we definitely could not had had a better alternate along with us to keep us focused.

Now that all the excitement is over, all we have is a long bus ride home from Michigan and the summer to begin to look towards next year.
  Ryan Hart

Currently, as I sit here typing on this nine-hour bus ride back to Shippensburg, I have had the opportunity to reflect on the past six days. I can't even begin to describe how much the idea of even going to Nationals really means to those who participate in Track & Field. To those individuals, it's as if they were about to be in the Super Bowl.

This is the apex of our collegiate career because there really isn't much more that is offered after Nationals. That is why the standards to even qualify are so extreme. Only the best have an opportunity to present themselves one last time in an attempt to show the nation that their hard work and dedication has paid off the most.

The fact that Shippensburg had the opportunity to represent the PSAC with the most participants is nothing but amazing. Nationals is not just an event, but an experience to be shared with all those who have a passion for the sport. 
 
To be honest, I didn't really know how nationals was going to go. The first day of competition really gave me insight about the atmosphere I should expect for when I compete. However, the team and I were just soaking it all in and preparing silently. I competed on the second day and was feeling more nervous I have felt in a long time. It was hard differentiating whether it was nerves or excitement, but honestly it was probably both. I remember going up to my teammates Grant Smith and Andrew Korrubin (who have been to nationals before) and asking them question after question about the process. I didn't want anything to surprise me that would throw me off, but luckily our discus coach Glenn Thompson really taught us to expect the unexpected.

As we arrived I was separated from my teammates and taken to the discus cage for open warm ups. Coming in, I was ranked 13th out of the Top 20 in the country for Division II, but I was going to need eighth if I wanted to be an All-American. As the competition began, my nerves just melted away. When I was called up for my first throw I wasn't nervous, but confident. I knew this was an opportunity to show everyone that a seed is just a number and I am fully capable of giving this last meet my all. As I stayed completely relaxed and went through the motions of my spin I released the discus and threw a new PR (personal record). With that one throw I wasn't certain that I would make finals, but I couldn't be upset since I have never thrown better.  

As I fouled my next two attempts, I sat and watched the second flight of 10 competiitors go up and throw. My anxiety was at an all-time high. With every mark better than mine I would raise a finger and say which place I was at. By the time the second flight was over I couldn't believe it. Eight fingers. My coach, Kurt Dunkel, came over to re-assure me that I did make finals. He told me that I could compete with these guys and I still had three more throws to make a statement.  

My first throw of finals was a foul because I was trying too hard and muscled the discus. On my fifth attempt, I collected myself and just put one out there. A huge PR of four feet and a throw good enough to solidify my eighth-place All-America position. I was overwhelmed with emotion, but could only muster a big smile. All I could think about was that I did what I set out to do and now, even at eighth, I was on top of the world.  
 
This nationals experience was one that I will remember for a lifetime. The memories and experiences I shared with my teammates only brought us all closer and gave me a better understanding of who they are off the track.

However, I cannot be completely satisfied with myself. Gains are made in the offseason and the real champions never take a day off. I believe the happiest people are those who do not make excuses, but get results. In conclusion, I am proud to be an All-American and most importantly I am proud to call myself a Raider. 
 Andrew Kujawski

From the start of Indoor season through the outdoor season I would have never thought that we would be running 3:10.43.

I know going to Nationals is a big thing, but as a 4x4 group, I think the biggest thing was that we came together every meet. We became a family, and we had a goal, and we reached it.

This season has been a textbook season: everything went right. It has been a great season running as a Shippensburg Red Raider.

Now it's time to relax and re-focus for next year! #Sprinternation 


 Robert Bales

The hardest part is over, we made it into finals.

I couldn't imagine being seventh in nation going into finals, it's the most incredible feeling ever being a 400 runner, having four guys come together and running a 3:11.13 and re-breaking both the school record AND the all-time PSAC record is the most amazing feeling ever. I know my team and they're ready to go sub 3:11 because we have the drive and the determination to be the first-ever men's 4x4 All-Americans for Shippensburg!

I have no doubt in my mind that we can do it even with #Bologa running two events today. We are ready to go and ready to give it our all and put on a show for all the parents and siblings that came to watch us do so. On a personal note, I'm more nervous than before, as much as the two hardest parts are over, we still have one more team to beat, just one team to beat. I can't get hawked by anyone and need to trust my teammates to put me in the position to catch everyone with my grasp because now it's not about time, but place.

 Grant Smith

Great day today with Le'Quan placing 6th in the long jump, Pistol Pete getting into the steeplechase finals along with Eric Bologa getting into the 400-meter hurdles finals.

On the women's side, Megan Lundy just missed finals but ran a lifetime PR in the 400 meters.

Tomorrow we follow up with finals in the steeplechase for Pete and have Jalen compete in the high jump and the men's 4x4, but also Ryan Hart throws i the Discus tomorrow for #throwernation.

Lets get these throws going far. For Saturday as well. 

 Andrew Korrubin

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of competition at nationals already. The past few days have been filled with much excitement that keeping track of time has been near impossible.

The food, the people and the atmosphere is just amazing. Myself, being a javelin thrower, I don't get to experience all of this fun throughout the indoor season. Since our season starts with the rest of the team in October our practices and "pre-season" is much longer and feels like it drags on, especially when you have to wait till outdoor nationals.

I'm sure I speak for many when I say that this may be one of the closest nationals groups we have ever had. It is just a great time being with everyone. While all of us have had injuries and may still do, I don't think that is going to stop any of us from giving our all the next three days no matter what.

Tomorrow looks to be a great day with many prelims and LeQuan with his long jump finals so it'll be nice to have an All-American on the first day and many more to come on Friday and Saturday!

 Eric Bologa

Whoever said Disney was the happiest place on Earth has obviously never been to western Michigan. After a long 9-hour bus ride, spread across two days, we arrived at our hotel to be greeted by all the workers. Since then, we have eaten at at least three different restaurants and have become friends with every single person we came into contact with. If we've learned anything on this trip it's that Shippensburg may not be widely known, but love of Harry Potter is worldwide.

We got a chance yesterday and this morning to practice at the track we will be competing at this weekend: Grand Valley State! As soon as we got to the track, I could tell that everyone's' excitement rose to a whole different level. Just being on the track with more of the nation's quickest makes everyone feel incredible.

Tonight we went to the track banquet, and I can say that it was the most interesting and fun banquet out of the three I have now gone to. First off, the banquet was held in a museum. So, the majority of my time there was spent wandering around with Jordan Jones and Megan Lundy looking at (and taking pictures with) all of the different exhibits [editor's note: see the pictures below!]. Secondly, macaroni and cheese bar...not much more needs to be said about that point.

Last, but absolutely not least, is the fact that Coach Knol, the sprints and hurdles coach here at Shippensburg, received an award for Atlantic Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Coach Knol more than deserves this award. It would have been much harder for any one of the five sprinters to get to this level of competition without his coaching.
 
Tomorrow is the first day of competition, and I think most of the athletes here are trying to stay calm, or at least I am. I run the 400 hurdles tomorrow night and the 4x400-meter relay with Andrew Kujawski, Kevin Shaw and Robert Bales on Friday night.

The 400 hurdle race is, to use the words of alumnus and awesome friend Caitlin Stuetz, 'a messy race.' That's where it comes in handy having amazing teammates to train with and perfect the race. Without Stuetz (up until this year), Jones, Dominic Raguz, Danesha Butler and Rachel Haupt to train with, practices would be much more difficult and very, very boring.

As for the 4x400, our season could not have gone any better. After barely missing out on making it to nationals indoor, we slowly brought our seed time down throughout the season until we booked our ticket to Michigan, just two weeks ago
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The goal of any preliminary run is to advance to finals. As long as you make it in to finals you have a shot at becoming an All-American athlete. I more than anyone know that nothing matters once you get on to that track; seed times and past races don't matter at all once you step out on to that track.

With this in mind, hopefully by the end of this weekend, Shippensburg University can come home with many All-American athletes.
  Robert Bales

Today was very relaxing. I got into the pool, got in my shake out and did a few stretches to get my legs ready for Friday. Most of us went to lunch at the Windy City Grille and around 4:30 p.m. we left to go for the NCAA social and watched Coach O pick up Coach Knol's award.

It was a nice experience surrounded by all the talent and reminded me that this is real, I'm really here at Nationals and that come Friday, it's all about leaving it all on the track, holding nothing back and only giving it everything we've got so we can leave Nationals with a chip on our shoulders for next year and so Kevin Shaw can end his track career with a story to tell to future track athletes.



WEDNESDAY: 8:45 PM
Megan Lundy, Eric Bologa, Jordan Jones

The team got to visit the Public Museum of Grand Rapids for the social event at this year's 2014 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships. After a lot of great food, the team explored the museum, and Meg, Eric and Jordan took pictures!
   Grant Smith

Had a great first day here at Grand Valley. First day of practice after a long two days of driving went well. Threw consistently around 58 feet. Finally have my legs back after two months of not being allowed to lift legs because of my knees.

Some lifting on Wednesday at the GVSU weight room and a slight biking workout shortly after hoping to keep my legs under me.

On Thursday, I might get a couple drills in before Ryan Hart competes in the discus.