Ellison Joins Long List of Villanova 800 NCAA Finalists

Sam Ellison competed this evening in the NCAA 800 meter finals and finished 8th, in a new PR of 1:47.68. His performance earned Ellison All-American status. He is the 14th Villanova man to compete in the 800 meters/880 yards finals at an NCAA Outdoor Championship meet. These 14 men competed 25 times in the event final, claiming 3 NCAA titles. Noteworthy among them are Villanova's two NCAA champions, Ron Delany and Don Paige. Paige won back-to-back NCAA 800 meter titles in 1979 and 1980 -- in the latter year Paige was ranked #1 in the world (ahead of the incomparable Sebastian Coe, who Paige defeated in a race in Italy that year). Also, Mark Belger is Villanova's only 4-time NCAA finalist at the distance. He made the NCAA finals in the 800 meters in 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978, finishing 3rd and 2nd in the middle two years. Noel Carroll and Brad Sumner were 3-time finalists. Here's the complete list in the NCAA era.

VILLANOVA'S NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP 800 METER FINALISTS (Men)

Year     Event         Name                  Place   Time     
1957     880 yards     Ron Delany            2nd     1:48.1
1958     880 yards     Ron Delany            1st     1:48.6
1963     880 yards     Noel Carroll          3rd     1:48.4
1964     880 yards     Noel Carroll          6th     1:49.4
1965     880 yards     Noel Carroll          2nd     1:48.9
1967     880 yards     Dave Patrick          5th     1:48.8
1970     880 yards     Andy O'Reilly         8th     1:52.2
1973     880 yards     Ken Schappert         3rd     1:47.4
1973     880 yards     Brian McElroy         9th     1:50.8
1975     880 yards     Ken Schappert         5th     1:48.55
1975     880 yards     Mark Belger           8th     1:50.9
1976     800 meters    Mark Belger           3rd     1:47.95
1977     800 meters    Mark Belger           2nd     1:45.85
1978     800 meters    Anthony Tufariello    3rd     1:46.42
1978     800 meters    Mark Belger           8th     1:47.21
1979     800 meters    Don Paige             1st     1:46.18
1980     800 meters    Don Paige             1st     1:45.81
1982     800 meters    John Marshall         7th     1:49.10
1985     800 meters    John Marshall         3rd     1:46.26
1989     800 meters    Paul Rowbotham        8th     1:50.62
1991     800 meters    Brad Sumner           8th     1:50.09
1992     800 meters    Brad Sumner           4th     1:46.77
1993     800 meters    Brad Sumner           4th     1:47.65
2009     800 meters    Sean Tully            6th     1:47.25
2012     800 meters    Sam Ellison           8th     1:47.62