NEW HAVEN, Conn. – For the second year in a row, senior psychology major Allen Siegler of the Yale men's track and field team has been awarded All-East Honors for his performance in the mile at the IC4A Championships. The top eight athletes in each event are honored, and this ought to be a clear recognition of the value of Siegler's consistency and dedication.

Last year at IC4As, Siegler finished sixth in a time of 4:07.16. This time around, however, he was attempting to break four minutes for the mile. Setting off on pace, with the help of junior Nick Dahl and an athlete from UConn, he came through 800m in 2:01.05. With most of the field desperately hanging on, Siegler pushed on as Dahl faded and with 400m to go he needed to close in 58 seconds. It wasn't enough. The valiant effort left him exposed to a late challenge around the final bend and he was cruelly out-dipped into second as he collapsed across the line. 

Though a win would have been the crowning glory on his best indoor season yet, Siegler's time of 4:02.87 places him fifth on Yale's prestigious all-time list. One feels certain that this is just the beginning of his career, rather than the end; the progress he has demonstrated in his time at Yale shows that he has potential to do far more than just break 4 minutes in the mile. In the short term, he will surely use it as motivation in his quest to make the NCAA National Championships outdoors, while his determination and humility will continue to inspire the team long after he does so.