Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/420291
GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 11 • 48 OLYMPIC ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK: MATT MCCLINTOCK A lthough he became Purdue's first cross country All-American since 1987 in the process, Matt Mc- Clintock's performance at the NCAA Championships last season left a lot to be desired from him. "I was feeling burnt out at the end of last year and I think I under- performed," McClintock said. "I think I should have been in the top 25 last year." McClintock gets a chance to redeem himself at this weekend's NCAAs in Terre Haute, marking his third consecutive year competing in the meet. "My opinion going in is I was able to be an All-American last year when I was nowhere near as fit and confi- dent as I was this year," McClintock said. "I have to go out and do my thing and it will take care of itself." It's been another impressive year on the course for Mc- Clintock, who's already established himself as one of the best runners in Purdue cross country history. Most recent- ly, he finished in third place in the talent-stocked Big Ten Championships and Great Lake Regional. "I'm really happy with how my season has gone," Mc- Clintock said. "I think I have been getting faster every race." The junior has finished third or higher in all of his races this season with the exception of Pre-Nationals, where he finished in sixth place behind two runners from No. 1 Colo- rado, two from No. 3 Oregon and Indiana State's John Mas- cari, who also edged McClintock this season at the Indiana Intercollegiates and Great Lake Regional. McClintock said he's eager for another crack at Mascari and the top runners in the nation. "At this point, everybody is so close in terms of ability and fitness," McClintock said. "One day at this race I could be fifth and another day I could be 25th. I've raced against a lot of these guys that are going to be in the top 15 all year, and I felt that I stacked up pretty well with them. I'm hoping to put together my best race of the year, and there's going to be guys that are tired and hurt and sick. If I can put together a good day, I'll be able to compete really well with those guys." The Maine native's point of em - phasis in 2014 has been asserting himself in the lead pack from the beginning of the race. In years past, McClintock tended to draft off of the lead pack and make a late push in the final stretch of the race. "Matt has gotten very comfortable being up in the front," distance coach Jeff Kent said. "That's what it's going to take at the nation- al meet, to stay controlled and disciplined those first couple kilometers when you can kind of go wild and run a little too fast. If he puts his nose from the gun, which I think he'll do, I think he'll be pretty pleased with the results at the end of the day." McClintock believes that if he can get start off toward the front and maintain his position throughout the race, his closing speed can help him pass several runners. The lack of closing speed has held him back in his pre- vious two NCAA Championships, he said. He was pinned in the back of the pack at Louisville his freshman year, and muddy conditions at Terre Haute last year kept the pack close together. "I feel like my closing speed has developed a lot un- der Coach Kent this year," McClintock said. " It's a real con- fidence booster knowing when you hit that last 400, that long 400 at Terre Haute, knowing that you'll be able to close with some of those guys." McClintock made significant strides from his freshman to sophomore year at the national meet, finishing 103rd as a freshman and in 37th place last season. He said he's ready to make another leap in the race this year. "I'm healthy and my legs are feeling fresh," McClintock said. "I had one of my best workouts of the year Tuesday. My goal will be to finish in the top 10, but I'll be happy with anything inside the top 15. I want to bring another All- American certificate to West Lafayette." — Travis Baugh LINKS JCOnline.com: Purdue volleyball celebrates in style PurdueSports.com: Softball inks five players for 2016 team PurdueSports.com: Six home weekends at Alexander highlight Boilers' 2015 slate PurdueSports.com: Eleven place, Sabatello wins title at Roadrunner Open PurdueSports.com: Boilers close out the fall with return to Minnesota Grand Prix