ALLIANCE, Ohio – Tyler Gittins, junior hurdler on the Men's Track & Field team, qualified on Thursday afternoon for the finals heat in the 400 meter hurdles. Although it wasn't his fastest race of the year, he was fast enough to land a sixth place seed in a field of 20 top-tier national sprinters at the NCAA Division III Championships. The junior crossed the line with a time of 53.28 seconds, with the total time spread on qualifying sprinters for the finals at 1.20 seconds.

Gittins was ranked 14th in the nation for Division III going into the championship meet, after qualifying at the Baldwin-Wallace Harrison Dillard Twilight Invitational with a time of 53.07 seconds. It was at this meet that the junior claimed a first place finish for the fourth time this season. He recently raced a 54.36 at the NCAC Championships, finding himself with First Team All-NCAC recognition. He also had the opportunity to run alongside top athletes at the Jesse Owens Classic, placing fifth overall in his event with a time of 53.79 seconds.

Gittins is set to race for the last time this season at 2:25 PM on Saturday, May 27.