July 3, 2024

VESTAL, NY (WBNG) -- Emily Mackay finished 2nd at the Team USA Track and Field trials, literally running the best race of her life. The Union-Endicott graduate, and Binghamton University alum punched her ticket to Paris qualifying for the Summer Olympic Games.

On Monday, her college coach Annette Acuff returned to the Vestal campus after spending the week with Mackay in Eugene, Oregon. She spoke with the media about the experience and Mackay’s performance, “Emily handled the pressure incredibly well. I think the World Indoor Championships really made a huge difference for her, competing on the world stage, and getting that bronze medal really gave her a lot of confidence,” said Coach Acuff.

Mackay locked up a spot on Team USA with her top-3 finish at the trials. Her time of 3:55.90 is a personal best, and the second fastest this season just behind 1st place finisher Nikki Hiltz. She becomes the fifth Binghamton University student-athlete in program history to qualify for the Olympic Games.

12 Sports also spoke with former Binghamton Track & Field Coach Patrick Murray before the trials about his time coaching Mackay for the Bearcats. He remembered a moment during that time, he believes changed the course of Emily’s career.

“We’re sitting there all willy-nilly in Oklahoma State being like it doesn’t matter what happens like we’re here to have fun. And then she gets 14th in the country which is the first Cross Country All-American in Binghamton history. Me and Coach Acoff are looking at each other like, ‘What just happened?’ And the rest was history,” said Coach Murray.

The Paris Olympic Summer Game begin on July 26th. Mackay takes the track on August 6th for the opening round of the Women’s 1500m heats.