AUSTIN, Texas – The San Francisco contingent at the NCAA West Region Preliminary Championships capped off the weekend with five performances at Mike A. Meyers Stadium, but came away without the prize in mind with no additional Dons advancing to the final championship venue.

"It is so difficult to advance out of this round to the NCAA final and we seemed to come up short multiple times today," said USF head coach Helen Lehman-Winters. "We gained some valuable experience, but just need to get a lot better at battling deeper into races in this championship venue."

Elena Burkard closed her collegiate career in the quarterfinal round of the 1,500 meters. The senior from Baiersbronn, Germany, crossed the line in eighth in her heat, rounding the track in 4:31.83. The trip to the preliminary rounds was her third in her time at USF, as she ran in the 5,000 meter semifinals in 2014 and moved to the shorter 1,500 meter distance in 2015. Last season, she was in the mix at both distances before withdrawing from the regional field due to injury.

Three women raced in the first heat of the 5,000 meters, headlined by the NCAA leader heading into the preliminary championships, USF's Charlotte Taylor. Taylor was in the lead pack of the slower of the two heats through the first half of the race. She then moved up to the lead, where she held until the late stages of the race.

Taylor, who already qualified for Eugene in the 10,000 meter distance, closed the 5K race in seventh place, crossing in 16:46.70. After a late-race surge, teammate Weronika Pyzik was next to finish with a time of 17:00.02 to earn eighth. Tatjana Schulte rounded out the Dons' trio in the heat, finishing in 17:43.97 in 20th place.

With the top five advancing from each heat plus the next two fastest times, Taylor had to await her fate at doubling, but the second heat sped around the track at a quicker pace, picking up seven qualifying spots and bumping Taylor from the 5K finals field.

"Elena capped off her five year career at USF with a valiant effort, but unfortunately the pace of her heat was slow and both time qualifiers came out of the other heat," added Lehman-Winters. "Charlotte gave it her best shot at the tough distance double, but carried the load of leading from 2K on after a very slow early pace and did not have much pop in her legs wihen it came to the finish. Weronika was much better in her second regionals appearance at 5K, again the pace was so slow early that both the time qualifiers came out of the second heat."

Also running the 5,000 meter distance, Ben Alcock closed the season with an 18th place showing in his heat after compiling a time of 15:11.47. After the weekend in Austin, one Don remains alive in the chase for an NCAA Championship, as Taylor will lace up in the 10K finals from historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on Thursday, June 8 at 7:08 p.m.