EUGENE, Ore. - Braden Presser of the men's track and field team placed 11th in the senior javelin event at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Saturday in Eugene, Ore. Presser posted a top throw of 68.93m (226' 1") to finish in 11th place of 16 competitors.
 
Presser's placement earned him a spot on the U.S. U23 National Team. The team will compete in the NACAC U23 Championships July 21-23 in San Jose, Costa Rica.
 
"This was a next big step of competition for Braden (Presser). This was a special opportunity for a very talented athlete to go up against some of the best competitors in the country. We progressed one meet further than we did last year and we're excited about that," said Associate Head Coach Chris Campbell. "We have to be ready in April to beat Army, be ready to win the conference title in early May and then we go into an even longer season of competition. It's a testament to Braden's ability and stamina that he was able to go four more weeks after the NCAA Championships and compete as well as he did on a national stage.
 
"Going forward we're going to continue to ramp up the training. This was his second time competing in Eugene, which is where both the NCAA Championships and Olympic trials are being held next season. It was a very good experience for him in being here for several days of training to be more prepared for this location next year."
 
Presser recorded a mark of 67.78m (222' 4") on his first throw of the competition. After committing a foul on his second attempt, the Liberty, Mo., native registered his best distance of the day on his third throw (68.93m / 226' 1").
 
Also competing in the championships was assistant coach Devon Allen, who clocked in a time of 13.51 to finish in fourth place in his heat and 14th overall to qualify for the 110m hurdle semifinals. He will be one of 16 athletes competing in the semifinal race tomorrow at 9:02 p.m. (ET). Allen will need to finish in the top three in his heat or post one of the next two fastest times to advance to the finals, which is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:53 p.m. (ET).