NC State’s Angelina Napoleon qualifies for World Championships in 3,000-meter steeplechase

After a podium finish at the NCAA Championships in the 3,000 steeplechase, NC State rising junior Angelina Napoleon put together another performance to remember at the U.S. Championships this past weekend at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. 

Napoleon set a new personal best with a 9:10.96 to finish second in the event, punching her ticket to represent Team USA at the World Championships in Tokyo, which is set for Sept. 13-21. 

The Allegany, N.Y., native dropped six seconds off her best from the NCAA Championships, where she logged the Wolfpack program record 9:16.66 in the event. Napoleon has now dropped more than 44 seconds off her personal best since the start of this season as she continues to run with more confidence. 

While Napoleon advanced to the World Championships, she wasn’t the only current or former NC State track and field athlete in action in the U.S. Championships. She was joined by 10 others at the University of Oregon’s track and field complex. 

Recently graduated senior Charles McBride finished tied for seventh in the men’s high jump final with a 2.17 mark. Fellow classmate Sam Bush, meanwhile, logged a 12th-place finish in her 1,500 heat (4:19.94) but didn’t make the final. Same goes for recently graduated senior Patrick Tuohy, who finished eighth in his 800 semifinal heat (1:51.76).

Rising junior Xavier Branker posted a fifth-place finish in his 400 hurdles heat (51.90) and didn’t make the final in his event.

NC State’s Pack Pros were well represented in the women’s 5,000 and 10,000 finals. Amaris Tyynismaa logged a 14th place finish (15:29.97) in the 5,000, while Katelyn Tuohy came in 19th (15:47.28) and Elly Henes was 20th (15:47.33). Henes also finished 11th (33:06.17) in the 10,000 final and was joined by Savannah Shaw, who placed 17th in the event (34:00.95)

Former Wolfpack men’s sprinter Cravont Charleston came in eighth in his 100 semifinal (10.32), but didn’t qualify for the final, while Cameron Murray placed seventh in his 100 hurdles heat (13.73), but didn’t make the final either.