TURLOCK, Calif. -- Bentley University sophomore Amy Varsell (Burlington, Conn./Lewis S. Mills HS) finished second in her heat and seventh in a field of 17 Friday night to qualify for Saturday's finals in the 800 meters at the NCAA Division II Women's Track and Field Championships at California State University-Stanislaus.

Varsell, seeded 16th entering the championship, posted a 2:11.07 to best her own school record by 0.91 seconds. It marked the sixth straight race she's broken the Bentley standard in the outdoor 800, and the 11th time since mid-January that she's bettered an existing school record.

Varsell, in her heat, trailed only Chanelle Caldwell of Grand Valley State, whose 2:10.40 was the second best qualifying time. She bested the third-place finisher in her heat, Kaela Snyder of Slippery Rock, by nearly a half-second to clinch a spot in the finals. The top two in each heat and the next two best times advanced to the finals.

Shawnee Carnett of Concord College easily had the best qualifying time, taking the third heat in 2:09.70. Varsell, who finished fourth in the 800 indoors, was just eight-hundredths of a second out of the top four.

Saturday's championship race is set for 10:25 pm EDT.