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TAMPA, Fla. - Redshirt freshman distance runner Nick Steele (Harvard, Mass.) ran the 3000 meter steeplechase on Friday night and was clocked in 9:08.72 in the second of three national quarterfinal heats at the NCAA East Preliminary. Steele was the Wildcats lone athlete in competition on the second day of the meet at the USF Track & Field Stadium. On the schedule for Saturday's final day of action are quarterfinal heats of the 1500 meters, semifinals of the 5000 meters and the first round of the javelin.

Steele placed 13th in his heat and 32nd overall in his debut at the East preliminary meet. He concluded a strong first year of collegiate competition, which included winning the BIG EAST title in the steeplechase earlier this month and recording a personal best time of 8:57.50 at the Raleigh Relays early in the outdoor season. That time put Steele ninth on the all-time Villanova performance list in the steeplechase.

First up on the schedule Saturday is senior Ben Malone (River Vale, N.J.) in the quarterfinal of the 1500 meters at 1 p.m. Junior thrower Jack Judge (Palisades, N.Y.) will compete in the javelin beginning at 1:30, while sophomore Casey Comber (Maple Glen, Pa.) runs in the 5000 meters at 8:05 p.m.