ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Senior Ellis Phillips-Gallucci of the Amherst College men's track and field team will race for a national championship in the 400m hurdles after winning his heat in Thursday's preliminaries at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at St. John Fisher University's Polisseni Track and Field.

Phillips-Gallucci came from behind to win his heat in a photo finish, clocking a time of 52.632 seconds to edge Rowan junior Marquise Young by six hundredths of a second. Both will be among the eight hurdlers advancing to the final to race for the national championship on Saturday (May 27) at 3:15 p.m.

Senior Jack Trent also competed in the first day of the decathlon but withdrew due to injury after four events. Trent finished 21st in the nation with 2404 points through the first four events.