<rleton’s Tom Ballinger ’09 broke his own school record in the 400-meter hurdles as he earned All-American honors--for the second consecutive year--at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He placed seventh in the finals of the event, finishing in 52.16, nearly a half-second faster than his previous mark. Ballinger was edged at the line by Emory University’s Alex Greenhouse by 0.01 second for sixth place.
Nine racers competed in Saturday’s finals. Tri-State University’s (Ind.) Russell Dill set a new track record while holding off defending champion Ted McMillan of Augustana College (Ill.) to win the event. Dill posted a winning time of 51.30, with McMillan reaching the line at 51.45.
P.J. Theisen from St. Thomas came in third place at 51.92, while Ben Zill of host University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s took fourth at 51.94. Fifth place went to Nathaniel Tussey of Moravian College (Pa.) in 52.01.
Ballinger was the lone Carleton student-athlete (male or female) to advance to the national meet. He previously set the school record in the hurdles, posting a time of 52.64 at the 2008 MIAC Championships. He and McMillan were the only runners from this year’s field that raced in the finals at the 2007 Championships, where Ballinger earned All-America honors by finishing sixth.