Four Former TU Student-Athletes to Compete in the 2021 Olympics

TOKYO, Japan –– Four former University of Tulsa student-athletes will be competing at the 2021 Olympics which begins this week in Tokyo, Japan.

The former TU rower Jennifer Casson (2013-17) will be representing Canada in the Lightweight Woman's Double Sculls, and will be competing against another former rower, Michelle Sechser (2004-08), who represents the United States.

Rounding out the TU participants is a pair of track & field athletes. Marc Scott (2013-17) and Ben Preisner (2016-19) will be representing Great Britain and Canada, respectively.

Scott will compete in the 5,000 meter and the 10,000m run in Tokyo. He was chosen to compete in the 5,000m run based on previous marks set during the past year. Scott won the British 10,000m Championships at the European Cup, meeting the Olympic standard with a time of 27:10.41.

During his time at TU, Scott won the 2017 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field 10,000m Championship. He concluded his campaign at Tulsa as a nine-time All-America performer, won two American Athletic Conference cross country individual titles, helped the Golden Hurricane claim four-straight cross country team championships (2 AAC, 2 C-USA) and was a 12-time conference champion.

Preisner will race in the marathon event at the Olympics. On December 20, 2020, he made his marathon debut at The Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona finishing with a time of 2:10.17. His time made him the top Canadian finisher and scored him an eighth-place finish. The Olympic entry standard is 2:11.30.

Preisner was a 14-time all-conference selection and a seven-time American Athletic Conference Champion, winning the 3,000m twice and three wins in the 5,000m race during the indoor season, as well as one championship in both the outdoor 5,000m and the 3,000m steeplechase in his time at Tulsa.

Casson has been a Canada National Team member since 2016 and has competed in nine world championships.

She was a four-year letterwinner at Tulsa and competed in 35 regattas Casson was a two-time American Athletic Conference first-team selection and a three-time silver medalist in the Varsity 8+ at The American Championships.

Sechser has been competing professionally since 2009, racing in dozens of world championships, including a top finish in the Lightweight Double Sculls at the 2021 World Rowing Final Olympic Qualification Regatta to qualify for the Olympics.

At Tulsa, Sechser was a four-year letterwinner who participated in nearly every regatta during her career. She led TU to three-straight Varsity 4+ gold medals and the Varsity 8+ to two bronze medals at the Midwest Intercollegiate Rowing Championships.

OLYMPIC SCHEDULE FOR TU ATHLETES
ROWING
Friday, July 23, 6:30 p.m. – Lightweight Double Sculls Heats
Monday, July 23, 6:30 pm –– Semifinals
Wednesday, July 28^,TBA –– Final

TRACK & FIELD
Friday July 30, 6:30 am –– Men's 10,000m run
Tuesday, August 3, 6 am –– Men's 5,000m run heats
Friday, August 6, 7 am –– Men's 5,000m Final
Saturday, August 7, 5 pm –– Men's Marathon

Four Former TU Student-Athletes to Compete in the 2021 Olympics

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