SACRAMENTO, Ca.; June 8, 2006 - Nittany Lion senior Matt Lincoln (Toronto, Canada) finished 17th overall in the 1500 meter run prelims at the NCAA Championship meet, clocking in at 3:49.18. He will not advance to the finals.

A time below 3:50 is usually good enough to win the event at an in-season meet, but at the highest stage, times fall off sharply. The rules of the meet dictate that the top four finishers from each heat move on to the finals, as well as the next four best times. In what was by all accounts a slow-paced heat, Lincoln finished eighth. The heat winner, Christian Smith of Kansas State, ran a 3:48.12. Lincoln¡¯s season-best time, a 3:47.61 would have won the heat.

This ends Lincoln¡¯s great run at Penn State. He has been a consistent scorer in middle-distance events as well as a valuable member of the 4x800 relay team for the past several seasons. Lincoln also lettered three times in cross country and is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten and two-time Academic All-American.