Merid Dates (C'79)

Merid, a transfer student and two-sport athlete, arrived at Principia with just two years of eligibility. In 1977, as both a runner and coach, he helped lead Principia’s cross-country team to NCAA DIII Nationals, where Merid placed 64th individually, and the team placed 30th overall. Merid also set the school record in the 1500m, a record that stood for 34 years. That same season, he became an NCAA DIII All-American, placing 6th at Nationals in the 1500m. His team records in the 3200m relay and the distance medley relay remain unbroken nearly a half-century later. His 1977 Track & Field Team was inducted into Principia’s Gold & Blue Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.