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Horn third, Brown seventh at NCAA track nationals

June 16, 2008

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University's Becky Horn, a senior of Battle Creek, Mich., ended her collegiate track and field career this weekend with a third-place finish in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Horn's teammate, junior Danielle Brown of Kalamazoo, also made it to the finals, finishing seventh in the 400-meter hurdles. Both Horn and Brown earned All-American status and secured a chance to compete in their respective events at the Olympic Trials June 27-July 6 in Eugene, Ore.

Horn led during the first half of the final 800-meter race, slipping back to third for a time of 2 minutes, 4.67 seconds. Her finish is the highest in WMU history since 1993, when Jill Stamison placed third in the same event. Horn also finished fifth in the 800-meter run at this year's NCAA indoor championships and is a two-time indoor All-American.

Horn holds WMU records in the indoor 400-meter dash (54.47), the indoor 800-meter run at a championship meet (2:06.30), and the outdoor 400-meter dash (52.35). She is a member of WMU's record-holding 200-meter relay team and its WMU and Mid-American Conference record-holding indoor and outdoor 400-meter relay teams.

Representing WMU in the final 400-meter hurdles, Brown started off the block with an unbalanced stride pattern and nearly fell during the second jump. She was able to recover and kept plugging along to finish the race in seventh place with a time of 58.31 seconds. This is Brown's first All-American honor.

WMU sent a total of four athletes to this year's outdoor championships. Junior Jennifer Sabra of Taylor, Mich., also competed in the 400-meter hurdles. She made it to the semifinals, where she placed 10th with a time of 58.18 seconds--her best time ever. Freshman Victoria Chatman, also of Taylor, joined Horn, Brown and Sabra to round out WMU's 400-meter relay team. After placing fourth in the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships May 30, the team vied for a spot in the finals, but fell short with a ninth-place finish. This is WMU's fourth consecutive appearance, and fifth overall, in the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships.

Updated July 1, 2008

Horn advanced to the final round of the 2008 U.S. Olympic track and field trials, but fell short of making the Olympic team, finishing eighth overall and second among collegiate contenders in the 800-meter run. Three runners were chosen for the Olympic team, none of whom were collegiate entrants. Brown competed in the 400-meter hurdles but finished 18th, failing to qualify for the semifinals by two spots.

Media contact: Mat Kanan, (269) 387-4125, mat.kanan@wmich.edu

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