Rhines, Nicolini & Marino Get Set for US Marathon Trials

Villanova will be represented at this weekend's US Olympic maraton trials by alums Jen Rhines, Kristen Nicolini, and Amanda Marino.

*** UPDATE: Kristen Nicolini has scratched from the trials ***

Jen Rhines, 37, is a three-time USA Olympian who won multiple NCAA individual championships while at Villanova: 4-times NCAA 5000 meter champion and NCAA individual cross country champion. She has a half-marathon PR of 1:11:14 (2011, Houston) and a marathon PR of 2:29:32 (2006, Rome). She finished 3rd at the 2004 USA Olympic marathon trials and was a 5000 meter finalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Rhines Achievements
THREE TIME OLYMPIAN: 10,000m (2000), Marathon (2004), 5,000m (2008)
2011 US 15k Champion
2011 US Half Marathon Champion
3rd All Time US at 5,000m
2008 US Olympian, 5,000m
2005 World Championships 10,000m
2005 US Champion 15K
2006 4th Place Rome Marathon
2004 US Olympian Marathon
2002 US National Champion 10,000m
2000 US Olympian 10,000m
7th Place Tokyo Women's Marathon
3-Time NCAA Outdoor Track 5000m Champion
NCAA Indoor Track 5000m Champion
NCAA Cross Country Champion


Kristen Nicolini, 34, graduated from Villanova in 2000. Kristen ran first at Auburn and then at Villanova, where she was a member of the 1998 National Cross Country Championship team - placing 17th - and the 4 x 1500m Penn Relays team. She was an All American for both cross country and for the 3000m indoor. Nicolini has PRs of 1:12:41 for the half-marathon (2009, Houston) and 2:35:06 for the marathon (2009, St. Paul). Here are some of her post-collegiate milestones:

Nicolini Achievements
2009 USA Marathon Championship - 3rd
2009 USA 20k Championships - 6th
2009 USA 10 Mile Championship - 5th
2009 USA 7 Mile Championships - 8th
2009 USA Half Marathon Championships - 7th
2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championship - 25th
2008 USA Half Marathon Championships - 5th
2002 USA Chiba Ekiden Road Relay team







Amanda Marino, 22, is a 2011 graduate of Villanova, where she was a 3-time All American in cross country (2008, 2009, 2010), helping Villanova to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2009 and 2010, when she finished 6th and 10th overall, respectively. She was also a 3-time All American at 5000 meters. Marino qualified for the Olympic Trials with her 1:13:47 time at the Philadelphia half-marathon, good for third place. She will be making her marathon debut at the trials in Houston.

Marino Achievements
6x All American (3 each in cross country and 5000 meters)
2011 Philadelphia Half-Marathon - 3rd
2009 ECAC 5000 meter champion