After failing to reach the NCAA Championships last June, Ball State University hurdler Amber Williams will travel to Sacramento, Calif., to participate in this year's event.
Williams qualified this past Saturday in Columbia, Mo., at the regional meet in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in a school-record 13.19 seconds. Williams' mark placed her fifth out of eight hurdlers in the regional final, earning her an automatic bid into the 2007 NCAA Championships.
Whatever happens in her next meet, Williams said advancing to the Championships is the greatest accomplishment in her track career.
"This is the first time I've ever been that happy about getting fifth place in a meet," Williams said, "Even if I don't come out of the meet in the top eight and become an All-American, it [will] still [be] a learning experience. No matter what happens at nationals, no one can take what happened at regionals away from me."
Williams got off to a strong start and was in first place through five hurdles. However, midway through the race Williams was unable to find her top gear and fell to fifth.
Though she dropped to fifth, coach Randy Heisler said he
was impressed with her perseverance.
"For her to drop basically a third of a second in the final and come back and beat quite a few people that were ahead of her, that was a little bit of surprise," Heisler said. "To advance out of this level you have to go to another level [which is] what Amber just did."
Though Williams was hoping to earn an at-large bid at the regional meet, assistant coach Steve Rajewsky said he felt Williams was good enough to earn an automatic qualifying time.
"That was great for her to run a season's best, a school record and a personal best," Rajewsky said. "She knocked it out and was an automatic qualifier."
The finish puts Williams 15th in the nation out of 28 runners in the 100-meter hurdles. A participant must finish in the top eight to become an All-American. Ball State has had six All-Americans in the history of the women's indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country programs. LaTasho Jenkins and Bonita Harrington were both named twice. The last All-American was Patricia Soman, who received the honor as an indoor track runner in 2003.
Heisler said Williams has a chance to become an All-American. However, the difference for Williams will be whether or not she's able to find her top gear, Heisler said.
"Amber's a good starter," Heisler said. "I have no doubt that at five hurdles she'll be leading. The question is can she finish the race."
Williams also competed in the 100-meter dash at the regional meet, but failed to qualify due to a false start. Williams broke the Mid-American Conference record in the 100-meter dash at the MAC championships earlier this month. Rajewsky said she was expecting the starting signal early.
"I think she got just a little too anxious and anticipated the gun just a little too soon," Rajewsky said. "But she came back the next day and that was the most important thing. She's a hurdler first and foremost."
In preparation for the NCAA Championships, Williams has been trying to adjust the technicalities in her form so she can continue her momentum in the last 50 meters of the race instead of fading to the back of the pack.
"Now it's to a point where we are doing a lot of tweaking to my hurdling form," Williams said, "It's just a lot of little things I'm working on now to maybe make me even faster."
Williams' speed over the hurdles will be tested by the tough national competition, Williams said. However, Williams said few of the nation's top runner's improved their times throughout the season and that should increase her chances to succeed.
"Some of the girls that were ahead of me earlier in the season ran those times pretty early in the season," Williams said. "Some of them haven't really come back since. So considering that I'm one of the few that actually improved it makes me go in there pretty confident. Maybe once I make it to nationals I can run even better than I did at regionals."
Williams knows that she will have to improve even more this week to have a successful showing at the championships. Along with the work she puts in this week, Williams said the adrenaline she receives from the electric environment in Sacramento should help her beat her own record.
"Some of the best runners in the world let alone the country are at this track," Williams said. "The atmosphere is always intense, exciting, and you know when you go to that meet you won't be disappointed."
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