June 12, 2008

DES MOINES, Iowa - Sophomore decathlete Aaron Harlan was forced out of the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday due to a foot injury suffered during the first day of the competition.

Harlan, who was 19th heading into the high jump competition, suffered the injury just prior to the event. He tried to compete in the high jump but recorded a no height, which dropped him to 24th overall. Harlan ran the 400-meter dash to complete the first day of action.

"Aaron has had a great season, it is just unfortunate that it had to end the way it did," said SFA multis coach Ron McCown. "He was a national qualifier during both the indoor and outdoor seasons, and to do that as a sophomore is a great accomplishment."

Earning All-Southland Conference honors during both the indoor and outdoor seasons, Harlan set a new school record and recorded an NCAA provisional mark in the heptathlon during indoors. He showed no signs of having a let down during the outdoor season recording an NCAA provisional mark in the opening meet of the year. He improved upon his qualifying mark by recording a score of 7,319 points at the SLC Outdoor Championships.

-SFA-