Manning Earns All-America Honors In 800-Meter Run

GRINNELL, Iowa – A day after qualifying for the finals, senior Ben Manning (Jericho, Vt.) raced his way to All-American honors at the 2012 NCAA Division III Men's Indoor Track & Field National Championship Saturday at Grinnell College's Charles Benson Bear '39 Recreation and Athletic Center, in Grinnell, Iowa.

In an elite field of eight, Manning clocked a time of one minute, 57.41 seconds to finish seventh. St. Thomas' (Minn.) junior Mike Hutton won the event with a time of one minute, 52.26 seconds. With his seventh place finish, Manning becomes the first University of Southern Maine men's track and field athlete to earn All-American honors since Anthony Stanton earned the accolade in 2010 competing in the high jump.

Manning and sophomore Julian Gazzelloni (Windham, Maine) were the first individual men's indoor track and field to qualify and compete for the NCAA Division III National Championship since Stanton in 2010.

Manning earned his spot in the finals running the eighth fastest time in the event in two preliminary heats, covering the distance in a time of one minute, 53.75 seconds.

Manning punched his ticket to the NCAA championship with his record setting time of one minute, 52.07 seconds in the 800-meter run at the NEIcAAA Championships. His finish at the NEIcAAA Championship established a new school record.