CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 25, 2018) – Running in his final collegiate meet, graduate student Dage Minors (Hamilton Parish, Bermuda) of the Franklin Pierce University men's track & field team extended his career by one more day on Friday evening. Running out of the third preliminary heat -- alongside freshman teammate Hugo Arlabosse (Marseille, France) -- Minors qualified for the Saturday final of the 800 meters at the NCAA Championships, hosted by Johnson C. Smith University at the Irwin Belk Complex.

Minors has assured himself of a selection to the All-America First Team by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), as he will finish in the top eight in the country in the 800 meters on Saturday. It will be his sixth career All-America accolade.

Minors and Arlabosse both took to the track in the third of three preliminary heats in the 800 meters, which wound up being the second-fastest of the trio. Minors nabbed an automatic qualifying spot for the final by placing second in the heat, with a time of 1:49.45. The mark was good for seventh overall, and was just three-thousandths of a second off the heat winner, senior Decano Cronin of Fort Hays State, who turned in a time of 1:49.42.

Cronin's preliminary time ranks fifth of the eight competitors who advanced to the final, while Minors' ranks sixth. The first heat posted the top five times of the day, led by sophomore Thomas Staines of Colorado State-Pueblo, who posted the day's top time, with a run of 1:48.04. The top two finishers in each heat, plus the next two fastest times overall, advanced to Saturday's final.

Meanwhile, Arlabosse placed fourth in the third heat, with a mark of 1:50.82. The time was good for 13^th overall, and was just two-thousandths of a second in back of 12^th place, which would have earned Arlabosse his first career All-America selection. Arlabosse finished second of the four freshmen who qualified for the 20-runner field in the 800 meters.

The final of the 800 meters is slated for 5:05 p.m. on Saturday at the Irwin Belk Complex.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce track and field apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).