MEDFORD - Seniors Jamie Norton and Ben Wallis along with sophomore Mitchell Black of the Tufts men's outdoor track & field team all added to their All-American career totals by placing among the top eight in their respective events at the NCAA Championship at Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday.
Black, now highly regarded nationally at the close of his sophomore season, led the group with a second-place finish in the 800 meters (1:51.30). Norton added a fifth-place effort in the 1,500 meters recording a 3:49.53 time. Wallis grabbed the seventh spot in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a 9:06.07 finish.
The All-American honor for Black was his fifth in two seasons. It's his second straight in the NCAA Outdoor 800, as last year he was seventh (1:51.92). The other three were NCAA Indoor achievements - a second with the distance medley relay (DMR) in 2013, a third in the 800 this past March and a sixth with the 4x4 also this past March.
Norton, competing in the final meet of his career, reached a milestone by earning his first individual All-America accolade. He had a relay All-American award with the 2013 DMR for a total of two in his career. The tri-captain was among the Outdoor 1,500 field last spring, but did not qualify for the final (4:10.06). This past March he placed 10th in the Indoor mile. His winning time improves Norton's own school record in the event.
Also in his last meet as a Jumbo, Wallis made it two for two by gaining his second All-American finish in his second NCAA appearance. In his first NCAA start last spring, Wallis ran 9:07.72 in the steeplechase for a seventh-place effort as well.
Both Norton and Wallis had earned the last qualifying sports in the finals during the preliminaries on Thursday. After a stumble early in the race, Wallis was able to regain control and hold on for the final qualifying spot (14th) with a 9:18.27 time. In the 1,500 meters, Norton clocked a time of 3:52.28 to claim the last of 12 qualifying spots.
On Friday, Black ran one of the six automatic qualifying spots in the 800 by finishing second in his heat with a time of 1:50.79.
The All-American finishes totaled 14 team points for the Jumbos, placing the 21st overall at the meet. Mount Union won with a 47 score. Tufts was second among New England teams behind Southern Maine, which scored 18 points to tie for 14th place.
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