May 16, 2006

PENSACOLA, Fla. - For the third consecutive season, junior Michael Padilla will be off and running at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships. Padilla will run in the 1,500 meters at the national championships from May 25-27 in Emporia, Kan.

Padilla qualified for the national championships with a time of 3:52.37 at the Seminole Invitational on Apr. 8. He also qualified in the 5,000 meters, but will not run. Padilla is ranked ninth in NCAA Division II in the 1,500 meters.

Padilla will be among 16 runners in the 1,500 meters preliminaries at 4:35 p.m. CST on Thursday, May 25. The top eight times advance to the finals at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday, May 27. The top eight finishers also earn All-America honors.

Padilla broke the 1,500 meters school record in 2004 en route to nationals. Last season, Padilla broke his own record in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:50.71 to earn another national championship appearance. Padilla ran a time of 4:04.49, but did not qualify for the finals.