Featured Athlete
Cassie Mattia
Cassie Mattia
Women's Indoor Track & Field
February 3, 2010
Mattia qualifies for nationals; sets new school mark in
 Findlay, Oh. --- University of Rio Grande RedStorm junior middle distance runner Cassie Mattia qualified for the NAIA Indoor National Meet in the 600-meter run on Saturday at the University of Findlay Track & Field Classic. In the process she also established a new school record in the event.

 

Mattia, a West Chester, OH native, finished ninth overall in the race with a time of 1:41.92, shattering the previous mark of 1:46.14 set by Leslie Bales in 1996. 

 

"We needed to get Cassie to an event that had a 600-meter race and that was our reason for taking her to Findlay," said Rio Grande assistant coach Matt Boyles. "She had performed well in the 500 meters and I knew that she would qualify in the 600 once we found a meet for her with a 600 event."

 

"And I'm happy to report that she set a new indoor school record in the 600-meters," Boyles added. 

 

Mattia, who established herself as an outstanding runner during the cross country season, will now get the opportunity to compete with the nation's best at the NAIA National Indoor Championships, March 4-6 in Johnson City, TN.  

 

Mattia and Co. will resume the 2010 season next weekend at the Mt. Union Invitational. The team was originally scheduled to compete at the Marietta Open, but changed due to facility issues at Marietta.