Track and Field: Clemons earns spot in nationals to extend career

If Mycaiah Clemons thought her collegiate track career ended after the NCAA East regionals, she… If Mycaiah Clemons thought her collegiate track career ended after the NCAA East regionals, she was quickly forced to think otherwise.

She received word from the NCAA championship committee a few days after failing to qualify for the National Championships that she received one of seven at-large bids to compete in the 100-meter hurdles against the best in the country this weekend.

The NCAA Championships are held June 10-13 in Fayettville, Ark., and showcase the best 544 athletes per gender.

“I definitely am really happy and proud of myself that I accomplished this,” Clemons said. “It’s always been one of my goals.”

The news came after Clemons ran the 100-meter hurdles in 13.70 seconds at the NCAA East regional tournament, finishing in 13th place.

In her senior season at Pitt, Clemons has proven herself as one of the premier female collegiate hurdlers in the country. At the Texas Relays in April, her time of 13.29 seconds was the seventh fastest 100-meter hurdles time at that point in the season.

A Pittsburgh native from Valley High School, Clemons decided to go to college away from home to become a member of the Virginia Tech track team. But after one season there, she decided to return to her hometown to continue her track career.

“The transfer was just for personal reasons, and I got to be close to home,” Clemons said. “It was basically my immaturity. I hadn’t grown up yet, and Pitt gave me the chance to grow up in a more comfortable environment.”

She has flourished since joining Pitt, consistently posting strong performances in meet after meet during her three seasons as a Panther.

Now she will continue to the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career. While she said she feels confident she can do well, Clemons said with these types of races, the outcome is always up in the air.

“I always feel confident going into my meets, but you can never tell with a hurdle race,” Clemons said. “It’s not like a sprint race because with hurdles you have obstacles in your way, so it depends on how you approach that race at that given moment.”

While this weekend’s race marks the end of her collegiate track career, Clemons, a communication major, hopes to continue competing at the next level while possibly attending graduate school.

“I’m still looking into it,” she said. “I might try and pursue track professionally. A lot of people around me, as well as myself, feel I haven’t reached my peak yet.”

Clemons and her coaches said they hope she can continue to improve, starting this weekend on the biggest stage in collegiate track.