Pitt track and field finishes 14th at 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships

We don't do much track and field here, but the program had a bit of a milestone achievement over the weekend that was, as Count Dooku would say, worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi order.

The track and field team had only four participants in the meet, but still came away with a top 15 performance. The team tied for 14th with Cornell at the national championships, which is an incredible accomplishment.

All four (Brycen Spratling, Carvin Nkanata, Micah Murray, and Desmond Palmer) were named First-Team All-Americans for finishing in fourth place in the 4x400 meter relay. Nkanata and Spratling also earned First-Team All-American status in the 200 meter and 400 meter dashes, respectively. Spratling, as I mentioned recently, has just had a huge year for the team.

The next things to watch are the rankings. The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association had Pitt ranked 32nd in the last poll. Here's to hoping the finish at the indoor championships gets them into the Top 25. The next poll is likely due out on Tuesday. The program was ranked 15th last month and that put the program up there with the baseball, wrestling, and gymnastics programs in terms of Olympic sports that have been ranked in the past year. Finishing the year ranked would be nice.

Pitt will look to rebuild a bit next indoor season. Three of the four participants in that amazing 4x400 team are seniors, with Palmer (freshman) the only returnee. Still, a special year and hopefully one that will push that program forward.

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