Tank Sets Eyes on NCAA Championships in Eugene

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah track & field senior Poppy Tank heads to Eugene, Ore., this week in hopes of catching some Hayward Magic at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this Thursday and Saturday as she races in the 5k and 10k.
 
NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Dates: Thursday, June 10 & Saturday, June 12
Location: Hayward Field
Host: University of Oregon
Live Results: https://bit.ly/3vZGJm9
TV: ESPN2 / ESPNU / ESPN3
Broadcast Info: https://bit.ly/34Zbgob
Live Stream: Thursday | Saturday
 
STARTING BLOCK
Poppy Tank will be just the second Ute to compete in both the 5k and 10k at the NCAA Championships in program history when she steps on the start line at Hayward Field. The senior qualified for both events after claiming fourth in the 10k and followed with a seventh-place finish in the 5k at the NCAA West Regionals two weeks ago.
 
She'll first compete in the 10k on Thursday, June 10, at 7:08 p.m. (MT) on ESPN2 before racing in the 5k on Saturday, June 12, at 5:55 on ESPNU. Both days of competition are streamed online and on the ESPN App.
 
TANK SHINES IN PANDEMIC RESTART
Poppy Tank will look to put the finishing stamp at the championships this week after having arguably the best spring season in program history. The Plymouth, Devon, England native racked up the accolades this season starting with the cross country season. Tank first claimed sixth at the Pac-12 Championships for the second-straight year and earned All-Pac-12 First-Team honors before earning All-America honors at the NCAA Cross Country Championships with the fourth-fastest time in program history (20:45.9).
 
Then in the outdoor season, she was just shy of 5,000m record and ran a mark of 15:45.07 at the Hayward Premiere. About a month later, she went out and crushed the 10,000m school record at the West Coast Relays with a time of 32:52.65 – a record that was set less than a month before by fellow compatriots Bella Williams at the Hayward Premiere (33:17.07).
 
LOOKING BACK IN TIME
Tank becomes just the sixth Ute to qualify for the championships in program history, joining Grayson Murphy (2017-18), Amanda Mergaert (2013), Amy Tidwell (1999), Brenda Alcorn (1989, 1991) and Jill (Molen) Koeven (1982-94). All five earned All-American honors during their time at the U as well.
 
Below is a list of how these former All-Americans performed at the NCAA Championships…
 

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