Junior Michaela Courtney and sophomore Cassie Peller left nothing behind at the Alex Wilson Invitational, for it was their final attempt to qualify for the NCAA national championships.

The two Marquette athletes entered the indoor track and field meet over the weekend at Notre Dame, Ind., with a determination to leave with no regrets.

"I thought that it was a last-chance meet," Courtney said. "I just figured that if I make it, I make it and if I don't then I just want to run well. I was excited that I could possibly make it to nationals."

Courtney earned third place in the mile and set a personal best and school record with a qualifying time of 4:43.07. That is good for 15th on the national list. Peller finished close behind in fifth place and also ran a personal best, clocking in at 4:46.00.

Both qualified provisionally for the National Championships, which will take place Friday and Saturday in Arkansas.

"When you qualify provisionally, you are just put on a descending order list, so you are not guaranteed a spot at nationals," said head coach Dave Uhrich. "With Michaela's time, we are almost positive that she will get into nationals. We don't think that Cassie's time will get her in this year, but it was still exciting to get that time."

"I wouldn't have taken them if I didn't think that they had a good chance," Uhrich added. "I knew how they had been running and I knew that they had a good attitude, and they proved me right."

Although the invitational was highly competitive, Courtney and Peller tried to remain calm.

"I was nervous, but I didn't let myself get too nervous," Courtney said. "I also went out slower than usual and that helped me a lot. Running the mile in the Big East was a big confidence booster, because I was running against really good milers. And I knew that if I could race well there then I could race well anywhere."

The fact that Courtney and Peller competed in the same race was also an advantage for Marquette.

"Most girls go there individually, but we went there together," Peller said. "We had nothing to lose, wo we went out there to get the fastest time possible. And just knowing that my teammmate was in the race made a difference. Michaela was always ahead of me in practice, so it was just like practice."

Junior Brent Des Roches was scheduled to compete in the Alex Wilson Invitational as well, but sickness and injury prevented him from doing so.