Sewickley Academy grad Summer Thorpe qualifies for NCAA meet

Sewickley Academy graduate and Notre Dame junior track performer Summer Thorpe is competing on the biggest stage of her college career at the NCAA Division I outdoor championship meet this week at Texas.

Thorpe (13.30 seconds) was seeded 23rd in the preliminaries of the 100-meter hurdles.

She qualified at the East Preliminary Championship on May 23-25 at North Florida.

“I’ve been training in order to qualify,” said Thorpe, who will turn 21 on June 20 and is a product of Pittsburgh’s North Side. “It was more of a matter of whether I’d be healthy and mindful enough after having a challenging ACC championship weekend.

“I bounced back well.”

Thorpe, the 2016 WPIAL and PIAA Class AA champion in the 100 hurdles, had a lot of pain in her hamstring and did not finish the conference final after falling.

Notre Dame coach Matt Sparks said Thorpe has grown into the leader of the Irish hurdle group and has developed confidence in herself as a person and athlete.

“She now expects not only to compete on the biggest stage but perform at the highest level,” Sparks said. “Competing in the NCAA final will be a new experience for Summer, but we have no doubt she will rise to the occasion.

“Her race is in her hands, and she will be ready to compete to her best fitness. We expect her to challenge her lifetime best in the 100 hurdles of 13.14 seconds.”

Thorpe, who is studying economics, said her goal was to be in the moment.

“I’ve been dealing with minor injuries here and there and chronic tightness in my hamstrings,” she said. “These next two weeks (after the qualifier) will be focused on making sure my body is ready for competition.”