ADA, OHIO - Senior Amaan Siddeeq (Goshen) and sophomore Justin Wager (Guilderland) advanced to the finals in their respective events during the first day of competition at the NCAA Division III Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by Ohio Northern University.

Siddeeq finished first in his heat and fourth overall in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.37 seconds. He is one of eight qualifiers for the finals, which will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. He will earn All-America honors, which go to the top eight finishers, by just finishing the race. He was the national runner-up last year.

Wager was the 10th and final qualifier in a field of 13 entrants in the mile run. His time of 4:23.60 was the third-best in his heat, although all seven runners in the other heat logged faster times. Saturday's finals will be held at 3:30 p.m.

In other competition Friday, senior Kevin Ma (Cornwall) finished 12th overall in the 55-meter dash preliminaries in 6.45 seconds and did not qualify for the finals. Cortland's distance medley relay team of junior Niko Viglione (Purdys/Somers), senior J.J. Riese (Central Square/Paul V. Moore), sophomore Alex Kalinkos (Flushing/St. Francis Prep) and Wager finished ninth out of 10 teams in 10:23.38, missing All-America honors by one spot. Also, junior Jake Zanetti (Saratoga Springs) was one of five pole vaulters in a field of 13 who did not clear a height.

Cortland's competitors on Saturday include Siddeeq in the 55-meter dash finals, Wager in the mile finals and both sophomore Seth DuBois (Altamont/Guilderland) and junior Shamus Nally (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) in the 5,000 meters. The 5,000-meter race is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.

Championship Web Site