June 11, 2009

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Fractions of a second was all that separated Belmont's most decorated sprinter in program history from advancing to the finals of the 200m at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday night in Fayetteville, Ark.  Despite setting a new BU record in the event in both the opening and semifinal rounds, sprinter Lynette Rives (Clarksville, Tenn.) was unable to move on to become the first athlete in school history to compete in the finals of any event.

It was deja-vu all over again in the first round of the 200m for Rives.  Seeded into the fifth and final qualifying heat, the Clarksville, Tenn., native burst out of the blocks to finish second with a time of 23.53 (-0.7).  The mark shattered the school record she set last year in the same round by more than a tenth of a second.  It was also the ninth-fastest of the day heading into the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Rives was seeded in the last heat as she was in the first round.  Pacing against sprinters from Arizona State, Miami and Texas A&M, home of the second-fastest  200m runner in the nation, Rives crossed the line in 23.39, finishing 14th overall.  The time was good enough to reset the program record again but just a few tenths of a second off from advancing to the finals.

"I'm disappointed.  I was hoping to make it to the finals," Rives said.  "It was tough but I left it all on the track.  I gave all I had, no regrets."

"She tried as hard as she could and that's all you can ask for at this level," said Belmont women's track and field assistant coach Cameron Harvey.  "She put it all on the line."

Rives, who graduated last month with a degree in Biology, wrapped her collegiate career with several distinctions, including being named only the second All-American in program history and holding seven school records.