Delaware State freshman Donte Holmes failed to qualify for the 800-meter finals of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. after finishing 26th in the preliminaries at Drake University in Des Moines, Ia.

The top 16 finishers advanced to the next round . Holmes recorded a time of 1:53.93 in his qualifying run, a far cry from the school-record 1:47.47 he ran in the NCAA East Regional final on May 31 in Tallahassee, Florida. 

Holmes would have been the top qualifier in the nationals had he duplicated his  regional time. Andrew Wheating of Oregon was the top 800-meter qualifier today with a time of 1:48.88. 

Holmes, the reigning MEAC indoor & outdoor 800-meter champion,  is scheduled to compete in the U.S. Junior Nationals June 20-21 in Columbus, Ohio.