EDINBORO, PA - Edinboro University junior Kelly Richards (Edinboro, PA/General McLane) narrowly failed in her attempt to become a two-time All-American at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Abilene, TX.
After placing seventh in Thursday's preliminaries of the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a time of 11:02.77, Richards cut more than a second off that time in the finals, but that was only good for ninth place, one spot shy of All-American status. Richard's time was 11:01.47, four seconds back of eighth place. She was making her third trip to Nationals.
Freshman Rachael Lanzel (St. Mary's, PA/St. Mary's) earned All-American honors in cross country this fall, and competed in the 5,000 meter run at Nationals. She placed ninth in her heat with a time of 18:39.55, and was 16th overall in the preliminaries.
The Edinboro men's team finished tied for 41st as two competitors earned All-American honors. Ed Brown (North Springfield, PA/Cathedral Prep) earned All-American honors in the discus on Thursday, and he was joined on the All-American stand by Ryan Coon (Clymer, NY/Sherman), no stranger to such recognition. A two-time cross country All-American, Coon took home eighth place in the 10,000 meter run to earn All-American honors for the first time in track & field. The junior finished with a time of 31:09.49
Brown, a senior in his first trip to Nationals, broke his own school record in the discus with a throw of 174'11" (53.31 meters). That was good enough for a sixth place finish and All-American status. Brown's record-setting throw came on his third attempt. He had set the record recently with a throw of 173'3".
In all, Edinboro has five athletes competed at the National Championships. Lindsay Roberts (Wattsburg, PA/Seneca) placed 11th in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 37:51.80.
~ Fighting Scots ~
Created on ... May 29, 2005