From NYU Athletics

Two members of the New York University men's track & field team are competing at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in Grinnell, IA, on Friday and Saturday, March 11-12.

Junior Budd Brown enjoyed a successful first day one at the Championships. As the first of two Violets to compete, Brown sealed a spot in the 400m final heat after posting the fifth-best time on Friday.

"It is a big step for him. He didn't qualify for the final race at nationals last outdoor season and now he will be competing for a top spot among great runners," said Head Coach Will Boylan-Pett. "He had the fifth-fastest time and was the 14th seed. That shows his skill. Now the pressure is off. You just have to give it your all and see where that takes you.

"All eight guys tomorrow are already All-Americans," Boylan-Pett continued. "This is going to be a great race, and Budd gets to be a part of that. I'm happy for him."

NYU's 200m record-holder and 200m representative at the NCAA's, senior Matthew Powers, posted the 10th-fastest finish in the event on Friday (22.26). The Natick, MA, native missed qualifying for the finals by less than two-tenths of a second, as the eighth-place finisher, Joe Carr of SUNY Oneonta, earned the last qualifying spot with a time of 22.07.

"Matt just ran out of a gas in the final stretch of his heat," explained Boylan-Pett. "The flat track is a little different from what we are used to, but they run nationals on flat tracks, so we will face that again. Matt will come out of here knowing that he had a great year. It was his first nationals. He is just going to have to bring this momentum with him into the outdoor season."

Brown will compete in the 400m final on Saturday at 2:35 pm (CT).