Saturday, May 31
Jacksonville, Fla.
5:40 PM
Quinnipiac University
vs
NCAA East First Round
Photo by: Cam Boon
Zaffina Earns Bid to NCAA First Round Meet
5/22/2025 11:14:00 AM | Women's Outdoor Track & Field
MAAC 3000m Steeplechase Winner to Compete for Spot in NCAA Finals
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Quinnipiac women's track and field athlete Alessandra Zaffina, four-time MAAC champion in the 3000m Steeplechase, earned a bid to the 2025 NCAA East First Round meet, the organization announced on May 22.
Zaffina, who clinched her fourth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title in the event two weeks ago, will compete for the second time at the meet in the last three seasons. She finished 28th overall in the run two seasons ago and was 11th in a highly-competitive second heat that saw six of the top 15 finishers.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 31 at 5:40 p.m. at the University of North Florida and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. She enters the meet 16th in the region in the event, with the top three in each heat and the next three fastest times qualifying for the national meet at Oregon. She will be running in the third and final heat.
For an inside look at the Quinnipiac women's track and field program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_TrackXC or go to gobobcats.com/outdoortf.
Zaffina, who clinched her fourth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title in the event two weeks ago, will compete for the second time at the meet in the last three seasons. She finished 28th overall in the run two seasons ago and was 11th in a highly-competitive second heat that saw six of the top 15 finishers.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 31 at 5:40 p.m. at the University of North Florida and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. She enters the meet 16th in the region in the event, with the top three in each heat and the next three fastest times qualifying for the national meet at Oregon. She will be running in the third and final heat.
Michigan State's Katelyn Stewart-Barnett and West Virginia's Sarah Tate pace the event, entering with seed times of 9:36.96 and and 9:37.62, respectively. After that, there are six runners who enter the meet with times between 9:58.73 and 10:07.71, including Zaffina who ran a 10:05.69 at Penn Relays at the end of April.
It will be the third time in the last four seasons the Bobcats have sent an athlete to the NCAA Regionals, with Zaffina competing in the 2023 edition and Mikah Maples qualifying in the javelin in 2022.
For an inside look at the Quinnipiac women's track and field program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_TrackXC or go to gobobcats.com/outdoortf.
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