Jen Rhines 3rd at USATF 10,000 -- Makes USA World Team

Jen Rhines made yet another Team USA tonight, qualifying for the US World Championship team by virtue of a typically professional performance in the USATF 10,000 meter championship race. Shalane Flanagan ran away from everyone else in the race, gapping everyone else by 40 meters within the first mile (4:52). Jen Rhines and Kara Goucher ran as tandem, also detached from the rest of the pack, but not in contact with Flanagan. Goucher sat behind Rhines for about 8000 meters and then left Rhines behind in a decisive surge. Goucher never threatened Flanagan, who won by 17 seconds in 30:59. All Rhines had to do was not get caught from behind and stay in third. Desi Davila closed the gap to Rhines somewhat, but was till 7 seconds in arrears at the finish.

1 Shalane Flanagan Oregon TC Elite 30:59.97
2 Kara Goucher Oregon TC Elite 31:16.65
3 Jennifer Rhines adidas 31:30.37
4 Desiree Davila Hansons-Brooks Distance Projec 31:37.14
5 Magdalena Lewy Boulet Saucony 31:48.58
6 Amy Begley Nike 32:34.75
7 Anne Bersagel New Balance Silicon Valley / A 32:54.08
8 Cassandra Slade Boulder Running Company/adidas 32:55.98
9 Sarah Porter unattached 32:57.15
10 Allison Grace Morgan ZAP Fitness Reebok 32:57.57
11 Emily Brown Team USA Minnesota / Asics 33:00.74
12 Danielle Stack Iowa State University 33:04.17
13 Katherine Newberry New York Athletic Club (NYAC) 33:05.31
14 Kathryn Matthews Boston U 33:11.00
15 Addie Bracy Carrboro Athletics Club 33:13.75
16 Nicole Feest Boulder Running Company/adidas 33:15.70
17 Tara Erdmann unattached 33:17.54
18 Stephanie Marcy Stanford 33:18.18
19 Bridget Lyons Georgia 33:24.95
20 Alisha Williams Boulder Running Company/adidas 33:32.59
21 Liz Costello Tennessee 33:52.55
22 Jeannette Faber Boston AA 33:52.95
23 Kim Ruck Clemson University 33:54.64
24 Kristina Vegh Sun Elite 34:05.64
25 Kara Millhouse Penn State 34:22.20
26 Zoila Gomez unattached 34:24.77
DNF Megan Hogan Team USA Minnesota / Asics
DNF Rachel Booth New Balance Silicon Valley / A

Curtis 4th in USATF 10,000 -- Misses World Team (for now)

Tonight witnessed a typical slow, tactical championship race in the men's 10,000. The race was won by Galen Rupp in 28:38 -- a full 85-90 seconds slower than his PR. Bobby Curtis finished in the dreaded 4th place in 28:42 (78 seconds slower than his PR) and seems to be off the World Championship team (the top 3 make the team, even if -- as in Scott Bauhs' case in 3rd -- one of the 3 only has the WC "B" standard). Curtis has the "A" standard, but failed to finish in the top three tonight. Interestingly, both Galen Rupp and Matt Tegenkamp are scheduled to run in the 5000 Friday. If either finishes in the top 3 in that race, they'll be facing a choice to run the 10,000 or 5000 at the World Championships. If one opts for the 5000, then Bobby Curtis will make the USA team at 10,000. For now, he's off to London for a 5000 race next week.

Men's 10,000 Meters

1 Galen Rupp Nike 28:38.17
2 Matt Tegenkamp Oregon TC Elite 28:39.97
3 Scott Bauhs adidas 28:40.51
4 Robert Curtis Reebok 28:42.50
5 Tim Nelson Oregon TC Elite 28:43.41
6 Ryan Vail Brooks 28:45.60
7 Aaron Braun McMillan Elite / adidas 28:48.31
8 James Strang unattached 28:49.28
9 Bobby Mack unattached 28:51.99
10 Scott Smith McMillan Elite / adidas 28:53.13
11 David Jankowski ZAP Fitness Reebok 28:53.63
12 Christopher Landry unattached 28:54.94
13 Jorge Torres Reebok 28:55.74
14 Nick Arciniaga McMillan Elite / adidas 28:57.64
15 Abdi Abdirahman Nike 28:57.79
16 Luke Puskedra Oregon 29:02.12
17 Patrick Smyth Nike 29:05.90
18 Charlie Serrano Run Racing TC 29:15.20
19 Jason Hartmann Nike 29:15.91
20 Sergio Reyes Asics Aggie Running Club 29:17.65
DNF Stephen Haas New Balance
DNF Brian Olinger Reebok
DNS Chris Solinsky Oregon TC Elite

Ellen Dougherty Fails to Advance in USATF 1500

Ellen Dougherty was off her game today in the 1500 meter preliminaries and did not advance. She recently ran a creditworthy 4:17.18, but couldn't match that time today. She went 4:24.39 in heat #1.


Heat 1 -- Women's 1500

1 Jennifer Simpson New Balance 4:14.20 Q
2 Gabriele Anderson Team USA Minnesota / Asics 4:14.25 Q
3 Anna Pierce Nike 4:14.32 Q
4 Shannon Rowbury Nike 4:14.40 Q
5 Treniere Moser Nike 4:14.41 q
6 Jackie Areson unattached 4:14.42 q
7 Lauren Hagans Asics 4:14.86
8 Erin Donohue Nike 4:15.11
9 Sara Vaughn adidas 4:15.30
10 Lauren Bonds adidas Raleigh Track Club 4:16.21
11 Lauren Centrowitz New Balance 4:16.59
12 Brittany Sheffey Tennessee 4:21.20
13 Katrina Drennen unattached 4:22.64
14 Ellen Dougherty New York Athletic Club (NYAC) 4:24.39

Sheila Reid: 1st Team All-American in the Classroom

Capital One Academic All-America Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Team - University Division

The 15 members of the Capital One Academic All-America ® Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country University first team have an average G.P.A. of 3.89.

Seven of the first team selections have perfect 4.00 G.P.A.’s.

Jordan Hasay is joined on the Capital One Academic All-America® University Division Women’s Track & Cross Country first team by two repeat selections, seniors Whitney Carlson of North Dakota State and Kimberly Williams of Florida State.

A second team pick in 2010, senior Ashley Cattran of Dayton also was named to the first team. A pair of third team honorees last year, seniors Kelly Phillips of Virginia Tech and Natalie Willer of Nebraska, were also named to the first team this year.

Seniors Mary Angell of Kentucky, Olivia Johnson of Marquette, Nora Mehl of UAB, Sofie Persson of Mississippi and Sheila Reid of Villanova also earned first team honors. Graduate students Vera Neuenswander of Indiana and Kate Niehaus of Stanford join juniors Tara Diebold of Arkansas and Chanelle Price of Tennessee to complete the Capital One Academic All-America® University Division first team.

A zoology major with a 4.00 G.P.A., Carlson earned third team Academic All-America® honors as a sophomore and was named to the first team the last two years. A first team All-American after finishing fifth in the heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Meet, she won 15 Summit League titles in her career at North Dakota State. The winner of the NCAA Elite 88 Award, she is also the recipient of an NCAA post-graduate scholarship. A native of Buchanan, N.D., she was the Summit League Indoor Athlete of the Year twice and won the Outdoor award once. Carlson will attend dental school at the University of Nebraska.

The most decorated women’s track and field performer in Florida State history, Williams is a business administration major with a 3.50 G.P.A. The top collegiate jumper in the country, she was the NCAA Indoor champion in the triple jump. A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Williams finished her career with 12 Atlantic Coast Conference titles. The first female in ACC history to win four straight indoor and outdoor triple jump titles, she is a five-time NCAA champion and a nine-time All-American. Williams was named as the ACC Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second time.

A pre-med major with a 3.98 G.P.A., Cattran was named as the Atlantic 10 Conference Track Student-Athlete of the Year twice for Dayton. A member of the Atlantic 10 champion indoor distance medley relay team, Cattran finished ninth in the 1500-meter run at the Atlantic 10 Meet. An All-Atlantic 10 selection, the Centerville, Ohio native helped the Flyers finish second in the A-10 Outdoor Championship Meet.

The pole vault record holder at Virginia Tech, Phillips is a biology major carrying a perfect 4.00 G.P.A. The winner of the Elite 88 award at the NCAA Meet, she was the two-time Atlantic Coast Conference indoor pole vault champion. Phillips is the recipient of the ACC’s Weaver-James-Corrigan graduate scholarship. The co-president of the Student Athlete Advisory Council, the Blacksburg, Va. native was an All-American in the indoor season.

A biological sciences and philosophy major with a 3.92 G.P.A., Willer owns the indoor and outdoor pole vaulting records at Nebraska. A four-time Big 12 Conference champion in the pole vault, she earned All-American honors three times in her career. Willer helped Nebraska win the 2011 Big 12 Conference indoor track title. A two-year captain of the Cornhuskers, the Elkhorn, Neb. native was also the USA and Pan-Am pole vaulting champion in 2009.

The 2011 Southeastern Conference runner-up in the discus throw, Angell has a double major of kinesiology and exercise science with a 3.80 G.P.A. A native of Byron Center, Mich., she was Kentucky’s top scorer at the SEC Championship with 14 points. She placed third in the shot put at the SEC Meet to qualify for the NCAA Meet. She finished her career ranked third on UK’s all-time list of discus and shot put leaders.

An accounting major holding a perfect 4.00 G.P.A., Johnson was the captain of the Marquette cross country squad. As a senior, she was Marquette’s top finisher in every race. A native of Milford, Iowa, she also competed in the 1500-meter run. A three-time BIG EAST All-Academic selection, she was the winner of the 2011 Delta Sigma Pi Golden Key Award. Johnson is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.

Honored as the Conference USA Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Mehl is a psychology major with a 4.00 G.P.A. at UAB. The UAB record holder in the high jump, she earned all-conference honors and finished fourth in the high jump. A native of Rottwell, Germany, she won back-to-back Conference-USA titles in the indoor pentathlon.

An honorable mention All-American in the 400-meter hurdles, Persson is a marketing major with a 3.83 G.P.A. at Mississippi. She also earned All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Meet by finishing third in the 800-meter run. The school record holder in four different events, the Helsingborg, Sweden native was recognized as the top marketing student in the UM Business School.

The winner of the Honda Award (Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year) for cross country, Reid led Villanova to its second consecutive national championship as a senior. An English major with a 3.37 G.P.A., she was the NCAA individual cross country champion. She also took first place at the BIG EAST Championship and the NCAA Regional Meet. A native of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, she was an 11-time BIG EAST champion and a seven-time All-American for the Wildcats. Reid also anchored Villanova’s NCAA champion indoor distance medley relay team.

A graduate student with a 4.00 G.P.A. who is working on her Master’s degree in counseling, Neuenswander won the 2011 Big Ten Conference championship in the pole vault and tied the conference record. A three-time All-American for Indiana, she was the NCAA runner-up in the pole vault in 2009. A native of Jefferson City, Mo., she earned her undergraduate degree in Social Studies and had a 4.00 G.P.A.

A member of Stanford’s back-to-back NCAA champion cross country teams in 2006 and 2007, Niehaus is a graduate student working on her Master’s degree in bioengineering with a perfect 4.00 G.P.A. The winner of the NCAA Elite 88 Award in 2009, she was a two-time NCAA qualifier for the Outdoor Championship Meet. A native of Columbia, S.C., Niehaus was the Pacific-10 Conference runner-up in the 10,000-meter run in 2009.

A two-time All-American pole vaulter at Arkansas, Diebold is a communication disorders major with a perfect 4.00 G.P.A. A native of Branson, Mo., she helped the seventh-ranked Razorbacks finish third at the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Meet. She was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice and finished sixth in the pole vault in the 2011 NCAA Indoor Championship Meet.

The Southeastern Conference champion in the indoor and outdoor 800-meter run in 2011, Price is majoring in journalism and electronic media and has a 3.92 G.P.A. A member of Tennessee’s NCAA champion distance medley relay team in 2009 and 2010, Price is a seven-time All-American. A five-time All-SEC honoree, the Easton, Pa. native was honored as the co-winner of the SEC Women’s Track and Field Scholar Athlete of the Year award in 2011.

FIRST TEAM
Name School Dist. Yr. Hometown G.P.A. Major
Mary Angell Kentucky IV Sr. Byron Center, Mich. 3.80 Kinesiology, Exercise Sci.
Whitney Carlson (1) # North Dakota State VII Sr. Buchanan, N.D. 4.00 Zoology
Ashley Cattran (2) Dayton IV Sr. Centerville, Ohio 3.98 Pre-Med
Tara Diebold Arkansas VI Jr. Branson, Mo. 4.00 Communication Disorders
Jordan Hasay Oregon VIII So. Arroyo Grande, Calif. 3.96 Human Physiology
Olivia Johnson Marquette V Sr. Milford, Iowa 4.00 Accounting
Nora Mehl UAB IV Sr. Rottweil, Germany 4.00 Psychology
Vera Neuenswander # Indiana V Gr. Jefferson City, Mo. 4.00 Social Studies Ed./Counseling
Kate Niehaus Stanford VIII Gr. Columbia, S.C. 4.00 Bioengineering
Sofie Persson Mississippi VI Sr. Helsingborg, Sweden 3.83 Marketing
Kelly Phillips (3) Virginia Tech III Sr. Blacksburg, Va. 4.00 Biology
Chanelle Price Tennessee IV Jr. Easton, Pa. 3.92 Journalism & Electronic Media
Sheila Reid Villanova II Sr. Newmarket, Ontario 3.37 English
Natalie Willer (3) Nebraska VII Sr. Elkhorn, Neb. 3.92 Biological Sci. / Psychology
Kimberly Williams (1) Florida State III Sr. Kingston, Jamaica 3.50 Business Administration

SECOND TEAM
Name School Dist. Yr. Hometown G.P.A. Major
Brigetta Barrett Arizona VIII So. New York, N.Y. 3.57 Theater Arts
Sarah-Anne Brault West Virginia II Jr. Winnipeg, Manitoba 3.96 Economics
Brittany Burns Marist I Gr. Watertown, N.Y. 3.96 Education Psychology
Kaitlyn Dugan New Hampshire I Sr. Hatfield, Pa. 3.98 Chemistry
Betsy Graney William & Mary III Sr. Harper Woods, Mich. 3.94 Kinesiology & Health Sci.
Rhiannon Johns UAB IV Jr. Sault Ste.Marie,Ont.,Can. 4.00 Mathematics
Anne Kesselring Oregon VIII So. Nurnberg, Germany 4.10 Undeclared
Bridget Lyons Georgia III Sr. Evans, Ga. 3.88 Biology / Spanish
Ashley Miller Nebraska VII Jr. Tipton, Iowa 3.83 Nutritional Science & Dietetics
Kaitlyn Peale (3) Michigan IV Sr. Columbus, Ohio 3.92 Industrial & Operations Eng.
Trecey Rew Northwestern State VI Gr. Garland, Texas 3.86 Communications; Sport Ad.
Amy Shackelford Stephen F. Austin VI Sr. Port Neches, Texas 4.00 Secondary Education
Faith Sherrill Indiana V Sr. Ft. Wayne, Ind. 3.59 Elementary Education
Jessica Ubanyionwu Baylor VI Jr. El Paso, Texas 3.96 Health Sci. Studies (Pre-Med)
Stephanie Wilson Santa Clara VIII Sr. San Jose, Calif. 3.90 English

THIRD TEAM
Name School Dist. Yr. Hometown G.P.A. Major
Yolanda Berryhill Georgia State III Sr. Leesburg, Ga. 3.74 Exercise Science
Chelsea Blanchard Indiana V Jr. Ft. Wayne, Ind. 3.97 Visual Art Education
Keri Bland West Virginia II Sr. Fairview, W.Va. 3.37 Mathematics & Sec. Educ.
Brittany Borman Oklahoma VI Jr. Festus, Mo. 3.66 Health & Exercise Science
Sarah Callister Weber State VIII So. Ogden, Utah 4.00 Nursing
Corey Conner Maine I Jr. Townsend, Mass. 3.82 Nursing
Kianna Elahi Iowa State VII Jr. Omaha, Neb. 3.72 Chemical Engineering
Kelsey Hanley Indiana State V Sr. Arcadia, Ind. 3.42 Safety Management
Lauren McNamara Southeast Missouri St. VII Sr. Breese, Ill. 4.00 Mass Comm., Spanish
Sarah Pease Indiana V Sr. Elizabeth, Ind. 3.68 Human Biology
Kristin Reffett Murray State IV Sr. Evansville, Ind. 4.00 Business Admin., Accounting
April Rotilio West Virginia II Sr. Bellaire, Ohio 3.72 Ex. Physiology; Phys.Therapy
Ashley Schnell UNC-Greensboro III Jr. Lincoln, Neb. 4.00 Music
Renee Tomlin Georgetown II Gr. Ocean City, N.J. 3.61 French; Linguistics
Emily Zimmerman Dayton IV Jr. Dayton, Ohio 4.00 Adolescence-Young Adult Ed.

Capital One Academic All-American of the Year: Jordan Hasay, Oregon


(1) Capital One Academic All-America 1st team selection in 2010 # Capital One Academic All-America 3rd team in 2009
(2) Capital One Academic All-America 2nd team selection in 2010
(3) Capital One Academic All-America 3rd team selection in 2010

Let'sRun Handicaps the USATF 10,000 Races

Here's a very nice preview of the USATF 10,000 meter races that prominently feature two of Villanova's former stars -- Jen Rhines and Bobby Curtis. Both Rhines and Curtis are among the top favorites to finish in the top three and make Team USA for this year's World Championships. Both have already achieved the World Championships "A" standard and have run well at various times this season. Thanks to the folks at LetsRun.com for the coverage. Click on the title of this post to go to the original source.


2011 USATF 10,000m Preview: Rupp vs Solinsky, Shalane Flanagan vs Kara Goucher

By LetsRun.com
June 22, 2011

The 2011 USATF Nationals get underway Thursday and we'll have all the action covered on little LetsRun.com.

Thursday starts off with a bang with a ton of distance action highlighted by the men's and women's 10,000m finals (schedule here). Plus there is the start of the women's and women's 800 (so that mean's the hot men's 800m with Nick Symmonds, Khadevis Robinson, and Robby Andrews) and the men's and women's 1500m, plus the men's steelpe. We preview the 10,000m finals below.


Men's 10,000m: A Rupp-Solinsky Battle for the Ages or a Rupp Coronation?

With our sport suffering in popularity everything possible needs to be done to promote it, yet one day out from the 2011 USATF Championships we don't even know who is running the men's 10,000m final in Eugene, Oregon.

American record holder Chris Solinsky is entered as is all-time US #2 and Oregon Duck hometown hero Galen Rupp. Athletes are allowed to scratch from events with no repercussions and Solinsky has said that his focus will be on the 5,000m at the World Championships. So will he run the 10,000m Thursday night? Or did he enter perhaps to play mind games with Galen Rupp. There definitely is tension between the Solinsky - (and coach) Jerry Schumacher camp, and the Galen Rupp -(and coach) Albeto Salazar camp as we chronicled yesterday here.

We would love to see the two fastest Americans ever at 10,000m square of before the Hayward field faithful. The same battle was supposed to happen 3 weeks ago at the Pre Classic as both Rupp and Solinsky were late entrants. Then Rupp ended up warming up and not starting the race, and Solinsky ended up dropping out, and then hinted at some possible tension with the Salazar-Rupp group.

So assuming these two gladiators square off, who comes out on top? We at LetsRun.com were split in our analysis on the Rupp-Solinsky battle 3 weeks ago. Everything since then seems to tilt in Rupp's favor. Solinsky dropped out of the Prefontaine 10,000m which never can be good for confidence, and then revealed he had a hamstring problem we previously were not aware of. A 100% healthy Galen Rupp should beat a 95% Solinsky. Then, Solinsky in his post-race comments indicated that perhaps in the psychological battle between these two that Rupp had gotten under his skin. Can Solinsky put that and his injury behind him to triumph over Rupp on Rupp's home territory?

We hope we find out on Thursday. A 10,000m match race between Solinsky and Rupp would bore most of America, but it would be pure pleasure for LetsRun.com.

If Solinsky, doesn't run, this is Rupp's race to lose for sure. The only concern is the pollen count. Rupp has allergy problems and did not run Pre because of the pollen count. What happens if there is a high pollen count on Thursday? Rupp still probably wins unless Solinsky is in the field. Of the other contenders, the key question is how does Bobby Curtis respond? After opening with a great start to the season in Australia, the former NCAA champion Curtis has struggled lately. Can he turn it around? Tim Nelson continues to improve under the radar and appears to be the guy who if anyone can try and mount a Solinsky-Rupp challenge.

Editor's Note: And since everyone knows Matt Tegenkamp does not run the 10k, we did not include him in our preview (or put him in our contest). However, the start lists are out and #16 is Matt Tegenkamp. The 2007 Worlds 4th place finisher at 5,000m made his 10,000m debut earlier this year (27:28 for 6th at Stanford). Is he really running the 10,000m at Nationals? There is no reason except for psychological ones to enter the 10,000m (with it being the first event) unless you're going to start. Solinsky, Rupp, and Tegenkamp all in the same race? Clearly we need to get some sleep...

The pollen forecast is out for Thursday from pollen.com and pretty much the only place in the US with a high pollen count will be Oregon. Alberto Salazar has indicated that he thinks Rupp can race well with high pollen, the concern is his recovery.

LetsRun.com Picks: We still believe a 100% Solinsky is going to beat Rupp, but indications are he's not 100%. Look out for Tim Nelson.
1. Galen Rupp
2. Chris Solinsky
3. Tim Nelson

Form Chart
Athlete    2011 Best    2010 Best  Comments

Bobby Curtis  27:24.67  27:33.38   
Nice PR at Stanford to solidify himself as one of the best in the US (7th on the
all-time list, in fact), but Curtis has struggled since then. Has he just been 
training hard and will be rested and ready for USAs or did he peak early?

Tim Nelson  27:28.19  27:31.56   
Consistently in the upper echelon of US 10,000 men over the last 3 years, Nelson
made the Worlds team in 2009 and continues to chip away at his PR.

Scott Bauhs  27:51.78  28:03.99   
The 2-time World XC team member needs to knock one out of the park to make the team
on the track.

Ryan Vail  27:57.42  NM   
Sub 28 in the US and we would be surprised if he made team

Aaron Braun  27:57.88  NM   
Sub 28 in the US and we would be surprised if he made team

Brian Olinger  28:07.52  NM   
Concentrated on steeple through last year (PR of 8:19 from 2007).

Bobby Mack  28:11.00  NM   

Jorge Torres  28:12.25  NM   
The veteran has made several World XC teams, an Olympic team in the 10,000 and WCs
in the 5,000, but with the caliber of US runners he's facing now, he'll likely need
to be in better than lifetime PR shape (27:42) to make the squad this time.

Chris Solinsky  NM          26:59.60   
Probably the class of the field if healthy and fit, especially in a fast finish. The
AR holder (and only non-African-born sub-27:00 runner) struggled with a hamstring 
issue and dropped out early at Pre. But if the injury concern is resolved, you just 
can't count out a sub-27 guy who also runs 3:35 and 12:55, can you?

Galen Rupp  NM          27:10.74   
Training partner Mo Farah ran 26:46 at Pre and said Rupp was in the same shape but 
was held out of the race due to allergies. We'll find out soon enough if that was 
wishful thinking, but if he's in PR form, Rupp should be a lock for the US team.

Ed Moran  NM          29:03.07   
Runner-up last year, has not raced in 2011 but entered. 13:20/27:43 pbs

Women's 10K: Shalane Flanagan Headlines 2008 Olympic Trials Rematch

All three U.S. Olympians (2007 World Champs bronze medallist Kara Goucher, 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Shalane Flanagan, and Amy Yoder Begley) return from 2008 and if the race is anywhere near as memorably as their battle in 08 in Eugene then the fans are in for a treat. In 2008, Flanagan kicked past Goucher for the win and Begley ran an inspired race to set a huge personal best and dip under the Olympic A standard as she was encouraged by a raucous Hayward Field crowd.

Veteran U.S. team member Jenn Rhines will almost certainly have a great deal to say about the outcome. Begley does not seem anywhere close to her form of the past few years but is a gritty competitor and hopes to bounce back here.

Realistically, the U.S. team will likely come from this foursome as no one else has demonstrated they are capable of achieving the IAAF A standard of 31:45.00. Of the other competitors, Boston marathon runner-up Desiree Davila may be most likely to upset these pre-race prognostications (Davila ran a 15:34 5k two weeks ago in her first race since Boston, Goucher ran 15:11 at Pre).

But let us lose sight that Shalane Flanagan is the class of this field, coming off of a World XC bronze medal. Only Kara Goucher has shown the ability to run with an in form Flanagan, and Goucher is coming back from maternity leave. Goucher's return is impressive but she has not returned to her 2007 form.

LetsRun.com Picks: Everyone else is racing for 2nd place.
1. Shalane Flanagan
2. Kara Goucher
3. Jenn Rhines

Form Chart
Athlete  2011 Best  2010 Best  Comments

Shalane Flanagan            30:39.57   NM   
2008 Olympic bronze medalist is the American record-holder and in form in 2011 (XC
bronze)

Jennifer Rhines             31:43.00   NM   
Rhines is a strong candidate to make the team here as she has the WC A standard and 
is a savvy and tough racer, But has to decide if 10k or 5k is focus

Kathy Newberry              32:57.51   NM   
Veteran of several US world cross country teams.

Magdalena Lewy Boulet       33:16.11   33:16.11   
Olympian in marathon

Lisa Koll                   NM         31:18.07   
Injured and not running

Amy Begley                  NM         32:06.45   
2008 Olympian has come up big in Eugene before but only ran 15:52 2 weeks ago

Desiree Davila              NM         32:06.85   
2011 Boston Maraton runner-up has had a great year and could surprise here, although
hitting the WC A standard would represent a 20 second personal best

Kara Goucher                NM            NM   
Goucher has had a highly successful return to competitive running after giving birth 
to her first child (15:11 5k at Pre)

Sheila Reid is Finalist for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year

“Top Three” Finalists Announced for 2011 Honda-Broderick Cup

June 22, 2011

Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year to be Named on June 27th at a Ceremony in New York

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards today announced the “Top Three” finalists for the prestigious Honda-Broderick Cup, its annual top honor designating The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. This year’s finalists are, in alphabetical order: Blair Brown, Penn State University (volleyball); Maya Moore, University of Connecticut (basketball); and Sheila Reid, Villanova University (cross-country, track and field). The winner of the 2011 Honda-Broderick Cup will be revealed at a special press conference on June 27th at Columbia University in New York. The “Top Three” finalists were chosen from previously announced Honda Sports Award winners in 12 different NCAA-sanctioned sports, by a vote from among more than 1,000 NCAA-member institutions.


Career Highlights of the “Top Three”

Blair Brown (senior, volleyball) – A native of Purcellville, VA, Brown led the Penn State University Lions to their fourth straight NCAA championship title as team captain in her senior year, scoring a match-high 18 kills in the national title game. A three-time AVCA All-American, she was named Big Ten Player of the Year, as well as the University Park Regional Most Outstanding Player. In addition to guiding the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Championship, Brown earned a spot on the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team. Brown started all 37 matches during her senior year and led her team with 521 kills (4.24 kills average per set on .320 hitting). She closed out her college career with 1,295 kills, graduating in December 2010 with an English and Political Science major. In the summer of 2010, Brown trained with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team.

Maya Moore (senior, basketball) – Moore, a native of Jefferson City, Missouri, who grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia, has been nominated for the Honda Sports Award for basketball all four years of her college career and won the honor last year. Notably, because she won the Honda-Broderick Cup last year, she now has a shot at making history as only the second athlete to be named as Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year twice. (Tracy Caulkins won in ‘82 and ‘84). Moore led the UConn team to four Final Four appearances, two national titles and a 150-4 record. She is the fourth-leading scorer in NCAA history, with 3,036 points. Honored as the Capital One University Division Academic All-American of the Year and BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2010 and 2011, Moore was also selected as a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2009. A three-time WBCA Wade Trophy honoree and four-time WBCA State Farm First Team All-American, she won the Naismith Trophy, the Associated Press Player of the Year Award and the USBWA Player of the Year Award in 2009 and 2011. She was also the John R. Wooden Award honoree in 2009 and 2011. Moore held a 3.669 GPA in sports media and promotion. She was the #1 draft pick for the WNBA this year and is currently playing with the Minnesota Lynx.

Sheila Reid (senior, cross-country, track and field) – Reid, a native of Newmarket, Ontario, recently capped a great year when she was crowned the NCAA Outdoor Champion in the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter races – the first woman in history to win both events in the same year. She was also the Indoor National Champion in the distance medley. She was selected All-American in the 3,000-meter. She finished her season as the Big East Indoor champion in the 1,000-meter, 4x800-meter relay, distance medley relay and outdoor titlist in the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter. The indoor and outdoor Mid-Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year is a 12-time Big East Champion, a nine-time All-American selection and NCAA individual cross country titlist. Like many Honda Sports Award winners, Reid is an academic standout in addition to her excellence in athletics. The four-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star was selected to the Academic All-District first team and holds a GPA of 3.408 with a major in English.

The other eight individual Honda Sports Award winners who were nominated to become “Top Three” finalists this year include: Kelsey Bruder of the University of Florida (softball), Melissa Henderson from Notre Dame (soccer), Kayla Hoffman from the University of Alabama (gymnastics), Katinka Hosszu from the University of Southern California (swimming & diving), Jana Juricova of the University of California, Berkeley (tennis), Katie O’Donnell from the University of Maryland (field hockey), Shannon Smith of Northwestern University (lacrosse) and Marta Silva Zamora from the University of Georgia (golf).

Other Honors to Be Presented on June 27th

In addition to the annual Honda-Broderick Cup, the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards Program also presents its annual Honda Inspiration Award to a female college athlete who has overcome adversity to excel in her sport. This year’s recipient is basketball star Jessica Breland, a 2011 graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who overcame a tough bout with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in her college years to return to the court and is now in her rookie year with the WNBA’s New York Liberty. The program also honors the Honda Sports Award Athletes of the Year from both NCAA Division II and Division III colleges. University of Massachusetts Lowell’s field hockey star Sammy Macy, who captained her team to an undefeated 24-0 record and a national title this season, won the Division II Award. Amherst College’s swimming standout Kendra Stern, the 2011 NCAA Division III Swimmer of the Year and a 10-time NCAA individual champion, won the Division III Award.

The June 27 awards ceremony in New York will be hosted by ESPN SportsCenter co-host Sage Steele, who will be joined to help present The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year award by 2000 Honda-Broderick Cup winner Cristina Teuscher, a former Columbia University swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.

Past winners of the Honda-Broderick Cup include some of the most talented and accomplished collegiate athletes in recent history: Candace Parker (basketball, 2008), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (track & field, 1984), Mia Hamm (soccer, 1994), Cheryl Miller (basketball, 1983), Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984, swimming), Chamique Holdsclaw (basketball, 1998), Misty May (volleyball, 1999) and Lisa Fernandez (softball, 1993).

USA Juniors: Chris FitzSimons 800 meter Starlist

Chris FitzSimons is in heat #3, scheduled for Friday, June 24 @ 2:55 P.M. Final will be Saturday, June 25 @ 5:10 P.M.


Event 106 Men 800 Meter Run Junior
===============================================================================
Name Year Team
===============================================================================

Heat 1 Prelims
1
2 Myles Andrews unattached
3 Joseph Woiwode unattached
4 Desmond Pierce East Tenness
5 Zavon Watkins Syracuse Tra
6 Jani Lane unattached
7 Chrisshun Jamerson unattached
8 Immanuel Hutchinson unattached

Heat 2 Prelims
1
2 Dalen Fink Kansas
3 Nathan Strum Cal-Davis
4 Sean Kluttz Charlotte
5 Chris Low College of t
6 William Ledder Georgetown U
7 Sean Canavin unattached
8 Nick Hartle PS Vegas Fly

Heat 3 Prelims
1
2 Connor Reck unattached
3 Matthew Bevil Brown
4 Christopher Hall unattached
5 Nathan Prom Iowa
6 Derrick Daigre unattached
7 O'Neal Wanliss New Horizon
8 Christopher FitzSimons unattached

Cats in Action at 25th New Jersey International Invitational

On Saturday June 18th at Holmdel high school in New Jersey, several Villanovans competed in the 25th New Jersey International Invitational track and field meet. Shericka Ward won the final of the 100 meter hurdles over former UConn Husky April Garner. In the women's mile, Carmen Douma-Hussar defeated recent Fordham graduate Melissa Salerno. The men's 1500 meters pitted two Australian NCAA All-Americans against one another in a solid field of milers. Penn State's Ryan Foster evened-up his career record against Matt Gibney 2-2 in winning the race in 3:42.71 to Gibney's 3:43.01. By the way, Foster and Gibney were Australia's only track and field Academic All-Americans this year.

Was that Villanova's Mike Brown (Big East 400H champion from 2000) in the 800 meters (running 1:54.50)?

Here are some of the results of note (for full results: click the title of this post):

THE CHRISSY D'ALESSANDRO SHAHEEN MEMORIAL
Women 1500 Meter Run Elite
Name Team Finals
Finals
1 Douma-Hussar, Carmen New Balance 4:16.15
2 Salerno, Melissa New Balance 4:17.83
3 Hall, Marielle Unattached 4:31.06
4 Lacy, Megan Juventus 4:35.40
5 Callan, Chelsea Unattached 4:43.82
6 Capozzi, Michelle Lasalle 4:53.01
7 Thomas, Lindsay Shore AC 5:01.42

THE DAWN BOWLES-FITCH
Women 100 Meter Hurdles Elite
Name Team Prelims
Preliminaries
1 Garner, April Unattached 13.33q -0.1
2 Ward, Shericka Villanova 13.40q -0.1
3 Marshall, Shameka Shore AC 13.43q -0.1
4 Williams, Rebecca CPTC New 13.86q 0.2
5 Nesfield, Tiffany Unattached 14.11q 0.2
6 Outman, Maddy Unattached 14.28q -0.1
7 Miller, Heather CPTC New 14.56q 0.2
8 Salke, Katherine Shore AC 14.95q 0.2
9 Di Luca, Tara Westchester TC 17.23q -0.1

THE DAWN BOWLES-FITCH
Women 100 Meter Hurdles Elite
Name Team Finals
Finals
1 Ward, Shericka Villanova 13.16 0.6
2 Garner, April Unattached 13.40 0.6
3 Williams, Rebecca CPTC New 13.80 0.6
4 Marshall, Shameka Shore AC 13.86 0.6
5 Nesfield, Tiffany Unattached 14.03 0.6
6 Outman, Maddy Unattached 14.44 0.7
7 Salke, Katherine Shore AC 14.63 0.7
8 Miller, Heather CPTC New 14.64 0.7
9 Di Luca, Tara Westchester TC 15.72 0.7

THE EAMONN COGHLAN
Men 1500 Meter Run Elite
Name Team Finals
Finals
1 Foster, Ryan Unattached 3:42.71
2 Gibney, Matthew Villanova 3:43.01
3 Turlip, Matt NYU 3:48.28
4 Guarino, Josh RUNR Elite 3:50.99
5 Perozze, Vince Unattached 3:51.86
6 Heibell, Chris Regan TC 3:52.12
7 Spooner, Chris CPTC New 3:53.49
8 Day, Kevin Unattached 3:54.01
9 Bowen, Khari Juventus 3:58.19
10 Arbuckle, Luke Unattached 4:00.11
--- Dawson, Owen Unattached DNF

Are Distance Runners the Smartest Runners?

The 2011 NCAA Capital One Academic All-American Men's Track & Field teams were announced yesterday, and 44 track and field athletes were recognized for their superior academic achievements. According to the official press release, to be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, "a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director."

When one examines the list of academic over-achievers, one is struck by the skewed distribution by event. This list of 44 NCAA Division 1 Academic All-Americans is dominated by distance runners. As the list below reveals, fully 26 of the 44 members of the men's Academic All-American team are distance runners. On the other extreme, only 4 of the 44 can be categorized as sprinters (three of these 4 are primarily 400 meter hurdlers, and only one -- Darius Law of the University of Charlotte -- specializes in the flat 200/400 sprints). Interestingly, there are also more combined events athletes among the academic stars than one would expect, given their relative numbers on typical track and field squads.

What might explain this result? Does distance running require a degree of discipline above and beyond that required of runners competing at shorter distances? To make this argument, one would assume that the discipline and hard work required to be an NCAA Division 1 distance runner would translate well to the classroom, resulting in good grades. That argument, however, seems to assume that sprinters are somehow less disciplined and hard-working than distance runners, a perverse variation on the theory that sprinters are somehow "born" while distance runners are "made." Following that logic, one would be forced to argue that the "making" of a quality distance runner lends itself more directly to the "making" of an outstanding student.

Of course, perhaps there is no causal chain involved at all. Perhaps some sort of self-selection process is at work. Could it be that already smart high school kids are somehow more inclined -- should they join the track team -- to opt for the distances than for the sprints? After all, the stereotypical body-type of the nerdy high school geek looks embarrassingly similar in the mind's eye to the typical high school freshman on the boy's cross country team. This tongue-in-cheek suggestion surely has no basis in reality, does it?

In any event, here is the list for consideration:

2011 CAPITAL ONE NCAA DIVISION 1 TRACK & FIELD ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS

First Team
Philip Adam		Rice		Decathlon/Throws
Bjorn Barrefors		Nebraska	Decathlon
Miles Batty		Bringham Young	Middle Distance
Peter Bolgert		Marquette	Distance
Tim Burns		Loyola (Md)	Distance
Nathan Corder		Alabama		Distance
Chris Derrick		Stanford	Distance
Ryan Foster		Penn State	Middle Distance
Elliott Heath		Stanford	Distance
David Klech		Oregon		Decathlon/Hurdles
Darius Law		Charlotte	Sprints/200-400
Chris Lemon		Dayton		Distance
Lee Ellis Moore		Mississippi	Sprints/400H-400
Scott Roth		Washington	Pole Vault
Miles Unterreiner	Stanford	Distance

Second Team
Eric Bailey		Oklahoma	Sprints/400H-400
Will Barry		Texas A&M	Distance
Hillary Bor		Iowa State	Distance
Matt Carey		Rice		Distance
Alex Federinko		Duquesne	Jumps
Nicholas Gordon		Nebraska	Jumps
Kevin Johnson		Massachusetts	Distance
Barnabas Kirui		Mississippi	Distance
Scott Krapf		Illinois State	Distance
Matthew Lemon		Dayton		Distance
Nate Polacek		Nebraska	Pole Vault
Cody Rome		US Naval Acad	Distance
Jamie Sandys		Arizona State	Decathlon/Jumps
Jareb Stallbaumer	Kansas		Jumps
Michael Zajac		South Carolina	Throws

Third Team
Andy Bayer		Indiana		Distance
Ed Bonnevie		Delaware	Distance
Adam Dailey		Nebraska	Sprints/400H-400
Dominic Devaud		Maryland-BC	Decathlon
Ben Engelhardt		Arizona State	Distance
Matthew Gibney		Villanova	Middle Distance/Distance
Tyler Hitchler		Nebraska	Throws
Daniel Howell		Utah State	Distance
Ben Jasinski		South Dakota St	Jumps
Elliott Krause		Wisconsin	Distance
David Moore		Tennessee-Chatt	Distance
Ciaran O'Lionaird	Florida State	Distance
Marvin Reitze		South Carolina	Pole Vault
Dan Sloat		Rice		Middle Distance

Matt Gibney named 3rd Team Academic All-American

2011 Capital One Academic All-America®

Villanova's Matt Gibney was named today a 2011 member of the Capital One Academic All-American team in track and field. The Villanova senior is majoring in English and carries a 3.78 GPA. Gibney was also in 2011 a 1500 meter All-American on the track, for the second time.

For a complete list of the track and field Academic All-Americans, click the title to this post.

Here is the Villanova Athletic Department's official press release:

VILLANOVA, Pa.--For the first time since 2007 the Villanova men's track & field/cross country program has an academic All-American, as senior Matthew Gibney (Albury, Australia) was named today to the Capital One Academic All-America third team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). This is a top academic honor for Gibney, who is coming off an All-American performance in the 1500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships two weeks ago.

The Capital One Academic All-America program recognizes student-athletes for having at least a 3.3 grade-point average while also having outstanding accomplishments in competition. Gibney finished his 2010-11 campaign with a terrific outdoor season while also maintaining a cumulative 3.78 GPA as an English major.

Gibney was previously named a first team Academic All-District 2 selection in order to be eligible for the All-America ballot. He also was named to the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area track squad and is a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star.

At the NCAA Championships earlier this month Gibney finished in fourth place in the finals of the 1500 meters to earn All-America honors for the second time in the last three years. Most impressively, however, he led Villanova to a Championship of America title in the distance medley relay at the Penn Relays in late April. Gibney anchored the Wildcats to their 94th championship all-time at the Penn Relays and the 24th in the DMR. He was also the anchor of the team's champion DMR squad in 2009. At the outdoor BIG EAST Championships Gibney received All-BIG EAST recognition in the 800 meters.

In addition to his outdoor season Gibney advanced to the national championships indoors in the Mile after running his first career sub-four minute Mile during the season at the Flotrack Husky Classic (3:58.12). He was also the BIG EAST runner-up in the Mile and led Villanova to a second place finish in the 4x800 meter relay at the conference meet.

During cross country season, Gibney overcame an injury during the early part of the year to return to the Wildcats lineup for the postseason meets. He made his season debut by winning the Haverford Invitational in late October and then was a part of team's top seven runners at all three postseason meets in the BIG EAST Championships, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and NCAA Championships.

The last Villanova men's track runner to earn Academic All-America honors is Drew Eckman, who was a third team selection in 2007. Gibney is now one of six Wildcats from the men's track team to receive this award, joining Terrence Mahon (1993, third team); Sean O'Neill (1987, first team; 1986, second team; 1985, third team); Carlton Young (1983, first team); and Michael England (1983, first team).


Villanova Men's Track Academic All-America Selections

Matt Gibney - 2011 third team
Drew Eckman - 2007 third team
Terrence Mahon - 1993 third team
Sean O'Neill - 1987 first team, 1986 second team, 1985 third team
Carlton Young - 1983 first team
Michael England - 1983 first team


Capital One Academic All-America Men's Track & Field/Cross Country

FIRST TEAM
Philip Adam, Rice
Bjorn Barrefors, Nebraska
Miles Batty, BYU
Peter Bolgert, Marquette
Tim Burns, Loyola (Md.)
Nathan Corder, Alabama
Chris Derrick, Stanford
Ryan Foster, Penn State
Elliott Heath, Stanford
David Klech, Oregon
Darius Law, Charlotte
Christopher Lemon, Dayton
Lee Ellis Moore, Mississippi
Scott Roth, Washington
Miles Unterreiner, Stanford


SECOND TEAM
Eric Bailey, Oklahoma
Will Barry, Texas A&M
Hillary Bor, Iowa State
Matt Carey, Rice
Alex Federinko, Duquesne
Nicolas Gordon, Nebraska
Kevin Johnson, Massachusetts
Barnabas Kirui, Mississippi
Scott Krapf, Illinois State
Matthew Lemon, Dayton
Nate Polacek, Nebraska
Cody Rome, Navy
Jamie Sandys, Arizona State
Jareb Stallbaumer, Kansas
Michael Zajac, South Carolina


THIRD TEAM
Andy Bayer, Indiana
Ed Bonnevie, Delaware
Adam Dailey, Nebraska
Dominic Devaud, UMBC
Ben Engelhardt, Arizona State
Matthew Gibney, Villanova
Tyler Hitchler, Nebraska
Daniel Howell, Utah State
Ben Jasinski, South Dakota State
Elliot Krause, Wisconsin
David Moore, Chattanooga
Ciaran O'Lionaird, Florida State
Marvin Reitze, South Carolina
Dan Sloat, Rice

Rhines, Curtis, Koons, Ward & Dougherty at USATF Nationals

Here are the schedules for the five Villanova alums who are qualified and declared for competition in the USATF National Championship meet. Jen Rhines is qualified and declared at both the 5000 and 10,000 meters. She'll likely run the 5000 on Friday only if something untoward happens in the 10,000 race on Thursday night. The good news for Curtis is that AR holder at 10,000 meters Chris Solinsky is contesting the 5000 meters. Top three finishers qualify for Team USA at the 2011 World Championships.

The meet is being held at Heyward Field in Eugene, Oregon, so all times listed below are Pacific time.

Women's 1500 meters.....Semi-finals: Thursday, June 23 @ 6:15 p.m.
1. Ellen Dougherty (4:17.18)


Women's 5000 meters.....Final: Friday, June 24 @ 7:20 p.m.
1. Jen Rhines (15:14.88)
2. Frances Koons (15:29.96)


Women's 10,000 meters.....Final: Thursday, June 23 @ 7:15 p.m.
1. Jen Rhines (31:43.00)


Women's 100 meter Hurdles.....First Round: Saturday, June 25 @ 1:20
1. Shericka Ward (13.16)


Men's 10,000 meters.....Final: Thursday, June 23 @ 7:55 p.m.
1. Bobby Curtis (27:24.00)

Nova Recruit Rob Denault Drops 1500 PR to 3:45.63

Canadian Junior Rob Denault, who will join Marcus O'Sullivan's squad in the fall, bettered his 1500 PR on Saturday at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Running for the Newmarket TC (in the same hometown as Sheila Reid), Denault is currently #2 on the Canadian Junior performance chart at both 800 meters (1:52.24) and 1500 meters (3:45.63). Here are the results from Denault's race on Saturday:

Men's 1500 Meters

  1 Robert Denault            93 Newmarket Huskie       3:45.63
  2 Curtis Vollmar            87 EMU Alum               3:48.05
  3 Saheed Khan               84 Toronto Olympic        3:48.88
  4 Dan Kramer                89 USATF                  3:49.34
  5 Alastair Brown            90 Athletics Manitoba     3:49.36
  6 Matthew Jurysta           89 UNATTACHED             3:50.26
  7 BJ CUNLIFFE               92 DURHAM DRAGO           3:52.47
  8 Stephen Holmes            90 Speed River TFC        3:53.02
  9 Jeremy Walsh              90 London Runner          3:54.25
 10 Joshua Bolton             90 BRANTFORD T.F.C.       4:00.25
 -- Josh Roundell             86 Speed River TFC            DNF
 -- Jordan Langridge          90 U OF WINDSOR               DNF

Chris FitzSimons Readies for USA Junior Championships

Chris FitzSimons didn't get much of a chance during his just completed redshirt freshman year at Villanova to showcase his considerable 800/1500 talent. One year ago at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals he was leading Hamden (CT) high school to the national prep title in the DMR (with a 4:05.70 1600 anchor) and 4 x 800 meters (with a 1:47.15 anchor). He followed those stunning performances by finishing 3rd in the 800 meters (in 1:48.83) at the 2010 USA Junior Nationals, trailing only Casimir Loxsom and Robby Andrews (Andrews is a 2-time NCAA champion at 800 meters, and Loxsam is a 2-time All American at that distance). Neither Loxsom nor Andrews are eligible for Juniors, so FitzSimons must be considered one of the favorites in the event. Here is the Status of Entries for the 800 meters:

Name                    Affiliation       Time    Seed                             
William Ledder         Georgetown Univ    1:49.60 1:49.60 qualified declared
O'Neal Wanliss         New Horizon TC     1:49.61 1:49.61 qualified declared
Immanuel Hutchinson    unattached         1:49.63 1:49.63 qualified declared
Christopher FitzSimons unattached         1:49.91 1:49.91 qualified declared
Nathan Strum           California-Davis   1:50.19 1:50.19 qualified declared
Chris Low              College Canyons    1:51.19 1:51.19 qualified declared
Connor Reck            unattached         1:51.38 1:51.38 qualified declared
Jani Lane              unattached         1:51.82 1:51.82 qualified declared
Joseph Woiwode         unattached         1:52.15 1:52.15 qualified declared
Matthew Bevil          Brown University   1:52.24 1:52.24 qualified declared
Sean Canavin           unattached         1:52.28 1:52.28 qualified declared
Dalen Fink             Univ of Kansas     1:52.28 1:52.28 qualified declared
Nathan Prom            Univ of Iowa       1:52.45 1:52.45 qualified declared
Chrisshun Jamerson     unattached         1:50.32 1:50.32 updated   pending
Nick Hartle            PS Vegas Flyers    1:49.91 1:49.91 qualified open
Christopher Hall       unattached         1:50.06 1:50.06 qualified open
Derrick Daigre         unattached         1:50.26 1:50.26 qualified open
Myles Andrews          unattached         1:50.63 1:50.63 qualified open
Sean Kluttz            Charlotte          1:51.37 1:51.37 qualified open
Taylor Wardall         Univ of Oklahoma   1:51.45 1:51.45 qualified open
Zavon Watkins          Syracuse TC        1:50.61 1:50.61           pending
Gabriel Genovesi       Univ of Akron      1:52.26 1:52.26           pending
Desmond Pierce         E. Tennessee State 1:52.53 1:52.53           pending
Will Drinkwater        unattached         NT      NT      not qualified open
Thomas Mullen          UMass--Amherst     1:52.66 1:52.66 not qualified open
Austin Mudd            unattached         1:49.25 1:49.25 qualified scratched
Matthew Hillenbrand    Univ of Kentucky   1:50.83 1:50.83 qualified scratched

Andrew Blaich Receives PhD in Computer Science & Engineering

From SILive.com, which highlighted the academic achievements of NCAA athletes:

Andrew Blaich

Andrew Blaich of West Brighton received a doctor of computer science and engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.

Blaich received a full scholarship with stipend to attend Notre Dame in 2006. In November of 2010, Blaich's dissertation, "Enhancing End-Hosts to Improve Computer Security and Wireless Performance for Networked Environments," was successfully defended.

Blaich, son of Charles and Mary Blaich, earned a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering in 2005 and a master of science degree in computer engineering in 2006 from Villanova University's College of Engineering, Villanova, Pa., where he was a four-year member of the cross-country and track teams.

A 2001 graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School's Scholars Program, Blaich was a multiple Advance All Star in cross-country and track.

Blaich accepted a position as a senior engineer in the Advanced Technology Laboratory in San Jose, Calif., for Samsung Information Systems of America, Inc.

Nova Signee Courtney Chapman Anchors USA #2 All Time DMR

Villanova's women's recruiting class looks increasingly strong as the summer wears on. One reason for that is the strong performance of Fayetteville-Manlius's Courtney Chapman (pictured above, left). Over the weekend at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, NC, Chapman ran the 1600 anchor leg of the #2 all-time USA prep girls DMR (11:25.13). Her squad broke the existing high school national record of 11:31.26 handily (by over 6 seconds), but were beaten in the race by Harvard-Westlake (which was led by USA #1 800 meter runner Amy Weissenbach). In fact, each of the top three squads broke the existing national record. In addition, Chapman previously finished 3rd in the 1500 meters at the New York state meet, in 4:23, an 11 second PR.

Like Father, Like Son: Double Olympic Gold

Olympic Games bond father-son track champions
Amy Rosewater, TeamUSA.org
June 17, 2011

There are many fathers who get to share their passion for sports with their sons. But there are not many dads who earned an Olympic gold medal in the same event as their son.

In fact, it is believed that in the United States there is only one such father-son duo: Charles and Chip Jenkins.

Charles competed in the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and won two gold medals — one in the 400 and the other in the 4 x 400 relay. Thirty-six years later, Chip went to Barcelona and came home with an Olympic gold medal in the 4 x 400.

“I was delighted when he did that,’’ Charles said with a chuckle. “He was following the old man.

“I was very happy for a variety of reasons. A lot of people don’t even make the team or medal at all. So for him to win a gold medal in the same event I did is very special.’’

Though neither father nor son are involved in the competitive track world these days — Dr. Charles Jenkins is a public affairs specialist for the United States Social Security Administration and Chip is an attorney specializing in trademarks and intellectual property — their Olympic bond will never break. The two see each other frequently, as Charles lives in Sykesville, Md., and Chip lives in Washington, D.C. The two plan on getting together this Sunday for Father’s Day, perhaps for dinner.

And the two share a mutual admiration.

Not that they don’t have their competitive moments.

“I go fishing with Chip in Connecticut and the last couple of years I’ve caught the largest fish,’’ Charles said. “Once he caught the largest fish and a friend of ours convinced us to stay another half hour and during that half hour, I caught a bigger fish. We’re so competitive that way.’’

You don’t get to become an Olympic champion without those competitive juices.

Charles never will forget how difficult the road was toward becoming an Olympic champion back in 1956. At that time (as is the case now), the United States had one of the most formidable teams, if not the most, in the world. So making the team provided intense competition.

The favorite was Lou Jones (pictured here, behind Jenkins), who won the 400-meter event in the 1955 Pan-American Games in world-record time (45.4 seconds). At the U.S. Olympic Trials, Jones broke his own record with a 45.2. Jenkins, meanwhile, was predicted by the media to place fourth.

“It really didn’t matter,’’ Jenkins said now of those predictions. “I just felt that I could win, and my attitude was just to ignore it.’’

With all eyes on Jones, Jenkins laid low out of the spotlight. He leaned heavily on American teammate and 1952 Olympic gold medalist in the 200, Andy Stanfield. The two were roommates in Melbourne, and Jenkins said he followed Stanfield’s advice. Stanfield helped him in workouts and also persuaded him to live a little away from the track as well. They danced in the Olympic Village and made friends with athletes from other countries.

Those friendships became vitally important for Jenkins in his pursuit of gold. Before Jenkins headed to Melbourne, he was jogging in Boston when he noticed a group of French athletes. They exchanged information, and one of those athletes wound up making the French team.

At the Olympic Games, the top-three athletes in each heat advanced to the next round. Before the semifinals, this French athlete, named Jean-Paul Martin DuGard, approached Jenkins.

“He said, ‘I have something very important to tell you,’’ Jenkins recalled. “In your heat, almost all of you can make the final, so you are going to have to run your best time if you are going to make the final.’’

The advice changed Jenkins’ strategy and he wound up winning that heat in 46.1 seconds. The fourth-fastest finisher clocked in at 46.2. In the next heat, Lou Jones won in 47 seconds.

“Conceivably, I could have been left out of the final,’’ Jenkins said. “I’ll never forget that.’’

In the final, Jones had garnered most of the American support, but Jenkins had some U.S. fans as well as an international fan base. Jenkins wound up winning, and Jones finished a disappointing fifth. To this day, Jenkins keeps in touch with his French friend.

Following those Games, Jenkins went on to coach men’s and women’s track at Villanova and he also had a diverse governmental career. He went on a goodwill tour as a coach working in Bangkok; he worked on the administrative staff for the Peace Corps in Indonesia, and he received an Ed.D (Doctor of Education) from the University of Massachusetts in 1978. A year later, he received an honorary Doctorate of Public Administration from Villanova.

Although he would have liked to have traveled to many subsequent other Olympic Games, his jet-setting career prevented him from doing so. He did, however, make it to the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games and hopes to travel to London next summer.

He did not travel to Barcelona, although he regrets that decision now. He did, however, tune into the Games and saw the American team, with Chip Jenkins representing the United States, win the 4 x 400 relay. Chip raced in the preliminaries but not the final.

Chip Jenkins grew up in Silver Spring, Md., and gravitated to track early, partly because of his family history and partly because he could run faster than almost all of the neighborhood kids.

Growing up as the son of a two-time gold medalist had its advantages. Chip said he often would take out his dad’s medals and show them off to friends.

“But the novelty wore off fast,’’ he said.

Chip had to make a name for himself. And he did that fast, too. He was a star track athlete in high school. He had a high school coach but when he graduated, he chose to go to Villanova and be coached by his father.

Although folks knew him as “Charlie Jenkins’ son,’’ Chip said it wasn’t hard to live in his father’s shadow.

“Things were pretty equal,’’ he said. “Most people do the same workouts and there are not a lot of secrets. The only difference is in the runner’s desire.’’

As a freshman, Chip was not among the superstars on the Villanova team.

“I told another coach that I thought Chip was going to be really good by his sophomore year and he told me later that he laughed when I said that. But I tell you, that coach was very happy when Chip was a senior and was done competing.’’

Charles said his son was “very receptive’’ to his coaching. Chip recalled one meet at the Meadowlands where his dad’s advice really came through for him.

“I had been losing races and from a technical standpoint, my dad told me to do something with my arms even when I was tired at the end of the race, and I actually listened to him,’’ Chip said with a laugh. “I beat (Olympic gold medalist) Antonio McKay that day and I beat him the next day.

“I was always strong enough but I didn’t care as much about technique,’’ Chip added. “Sometimes, you have to use your brains, too.’’

Chip had the right combination of brains and brawn at the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials, which were held in Louisiana. Those Trials were difficult for many of the athletes, especially those who competed in the 400 because of the sideshow involving Butch Reynolds (at the time, the world-record holder in the event) and a doping scandal. The Trials were difficult for Chip as well because he had taken about 18 months off from running and started law school.

Chip went to Barcelona more like a businessman than an athlete. Although he went to the Opening Ceremony, he wasn’t in Barcelona for the pomp and circumstance of the Games. He was there for one reason: to win a medal.

“It was all business,’’ said Chip, who didn’t catch any other athletic events at the Games but did manage to check out some of Spain’s beaches. “I was there to win, and if we didn’t win, something went terribly wrong. I always felt that as a 400 runner in America, you know you’re among the best. I don’t know why and I’m not going to say it’s easy for an American to win the 400 but it just seems to be that way.’’

The United States men have won 15 of the Olympic 4 x 400 titles, dating back to the first time the relay was held in the Games in 1912. The U.S. men have won the last five Olympic relays.

When Charles was on the winning relay in 1956 up until Chip raced in 1992, the United States had won all but two Olympic titles (Kenya won in 1972 and the Soviet Union won in 1980 when the United States boycotted the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games). American men have swept the 400-meter event in the last two Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing (Jeremy Wariner won the gold in Athens and LaShawn Merritt was the 2008 gold medalist).

Chip clearly remembers his race in Barcelona when he trailed a Cuban runner by five yards and made a gutsy inside pass. When he passed the baton to his teammate, the United States had a five-yard lead. Chip thought he hadn’t run hard enough.

“Usually, we’d have a 20-yard lead,’’ he said. “I thought, ‘What went wrong?’ Then I realized, ‘Oh yeah, this is the Olympics. It’s not easy.’ ’’

An ocean away, Charles beamed with pride.

Today, as Father’s Day approaches, he’s even more proud of his son. Chip is not only an Olympic gold medalist, but he’s an accomplished attorney — just like his mother. Issie Jenkins is retired now but worked as an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In addition to Chip, Charles and Issie are proud parents to daughters Theameta and Robyne.

“My wife and I are very, very proud of Chip, but we are very, very proud of all three of our kids. I am very thankful for my Olympic experience and for Chip’s, but there are other things in life after running, and all three of my children have done other very exciting things.’’

Koons and Dougherty Run Well at Boston Twilight 1500

We almost missed this one, inasmuch as it was held the same day Matt Gibney and Sheila Reid were contesting the NCAA 1500 meter final in Des Moines. At Bentley College outside Boston last Sunday, Frances Koons and Ellen Dougherty competed in the 1500 meters at the New Balance Twilight meet. According to the race description at the New Jersey-New York Track Club blog, Frances Koons was out front racing Lauren Centrowitz, both leading with about 400m to go. As Koons and Centrowitz exchanged leads, they were caught in the last 100 meters by Karly Hamric (6th 2010 NCAA 1500m) and Annick Lamar from Haverford College. Koons finished fourth, in a very respectable 4:15.31. Ellen Dougherty was less than 2 seconds behind, running 4:17.18 in 6th place.

 1   462 Karly Hamric           Riadha                 4:14.30  
 2   453 Annick Lamar           NYAC                   4:14.36  
 3   441 Lauren Centrowitz      New Balance            4:15.28  
 4   444 Frances Koons          New Balance/           4:15.31  
 5   358 Lauren Hagans          Asics/Knoxvi           4:15.87  
 6   452 Ellen Dougherty        NYAC                   4:17.18  
 7   443 Melissa Salerno        New Balance            4:18.83  
 8   455 Erin Koch              Pacers New B           4:20.33  
 9   445 Rachel Cliff           New Balance/           4:20.79  
10   366 Catherine Beck         CPTC- New Ba           4:20.92  
11   503 Laura Nagel            Unattached             4:22.44  
12   487 Lindsey Gallo          Unattached             4:23.12  
13   451 Rolanda Bell           NYAC                   4:23.61  
14   479 Randelle Boots         Unattached             4:28.24  

Sheila Reid is USTFCCCA 2011 Women's Track Athlete of the Year

This is Reid's second major award of the day (see below for the announcement of her Honda Sports Award) -- can the Bowerman be next?


NATIONAL WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Sheila Reid, Villanova

Reid, a junior from Newmarket, Ontario, became the first woman in NCAA Division I history to win both 1500- and 5000-meter titles at a single NCAA championship this outdoor season. At the national championships, Reid clocked a personal-best 15:37.57 in the 5000 meters, which included a 64.54-second final lap to score her first title of the weekend. On the final day of the championship meet, Reid captured top honors in the 1500 meters with a winning time of 4:14.57, closing from third to first in the final lap with a 62.93-second split.

Reid also claimed BIG EAST crowns in both the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters during the outdoor season.

Overall in 2010-2011, Reid won the NCAA cross country individual title, leading the Wildcats to a second-straight NCAA team crown, and was named the USTFCCCA’s National Athlete of the Year for the season. At the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, Reid anchored Villanova to an NCAA championship in the distance medley relay and was the nation’s runner-up in the 3000 meters.

Past Winners:

2011: Sheila Reid, Villanova

2010: Lisa Koll, Iowa State

2009: Jenny Barringer, Colorado

2008: Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech

2007: Natasha Hastings, South Carolina

2006: Virginia Powell, Southern California

Sheila Reid Wins Track & Field's 2011 Honda Sports Award

Villanova's Reid named 2011 Honda Sports Award winner in track and field
June 17, 2011

By Tim Rohan
Inquirer Staff Writer

Villanova's Shelia Reid has the phrase "first-ever" next to her name quite often. So Thursday's news might not have been that surprising.

Reid was voted the 2011 Honda Sports Award winner in track and field. That came in addition to the cross-country award she had previously received - an impressive haul for any runner.

It's a feat, winning both the track and field and cross-country Honda Awards, that hasn't been accomplished by a woman since Amy Skieresz won both 13 years ago for the University of Arizona.

Reid's senior year at Villanova will surely leave a lasting impression on the Wildcats.

She was an NCAA outdoor champion in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter races, becoming the first woman in history to win both events during the same year. During the indoor season, she was a national champion in the distance medley. Her resumé reads: 12-time Big East champion, nine-time All-American, and NCAA individual cross-country titlist.

"I have . . . spoken often this year about the incredible women who have been stars on the track at Villanova in the past," Reid said in a statement. "For me to win two Honda Sports Awards this year maybe means that my name can now be etched alongside all of these great women that came before me."

A native of Newmarket, Ontario, Reid is also a standout student. Studying English at Villanova, she has a 3.40 grade-point average and was a four-time Big East Academic All-Star.

The Honda awards are given based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program. One honor is given to the nation's top collegiate female athlete in each of the NCAA's 12 sanctioned sports.

Being a winner gives Reid the chance to be named the collegiate female athlete of the year. The winner will receive the Honda-Broderick Cup during a ceremony in New York on June 27.

Other notable Honda Sports Award recipients this year include UConn women's basketball player Maya Moore; Penn State's Blair Brown for volleyball; and Maryland's Katie O'Donnell, a graduate of Wissahickon High School, for field hockey.

Sheila Reid to Contest 1500 at Canadian Nationals

Still basking in the afterglow of her triumphant distance double at the NCAA championships in Des Moines, Sheila Reid is readying herself for another major test -- this time against the professionals at the Canadian Nationals in Calgary. Reid will compete in the 1500 meters during the meet, which would commence on Wednesday, June 22 when the 1500 qualifying heats take place. If she advances out of the heats, the semi-final would be on Friday the 24th, with the final the following day.

How does Reid stack up against the best 1500 meter women in Canada? She has the third fastest seed time in the event, based on the current list of entries. Here are the 12 entrants currently declared in the event, with their seeds.

Women's 1500 meters

1.  Stellingwerff, Hilary		4:06.99
2.  Elmore, Malindi		4:09.10
3.  Reid, Sheila			4:11.85
4.  Van Buskirk, Kate		4:15.37
5.  Belleau-Beliveau, Karine	4:17.49
6.  Cliff, Rachel L.			4:18.45
7.  Hinther, Ashley		4:18.82
8.  Wyman, Jillian			4:25.50
9.  Hughes, Mélanie		4:29.55
10. Roy, Joanie			4:33.28
11. Moran, Deirdre		4:58.88
12. Digby, Erica M.		NT

Reid Thinking .... What Next?

NCAA champion Reid not nearing finish line yet
By John Cudmore, YorkRegion.com
Jun 15, 2011

For now, she is queen of the NCAA.

Villanova University middle distances runner Sheila Reid, 21, never dreamed she would become one of the more celebrated female athletes at the NCAA level with four national titles to her credit and time to still add more, yet, last weekend’s performance at the NCAA track and field championships in Des Moines, Iowa is hurtling the Newmarket resident into that sort of stratosphere.

Wins in the 5,000 metres Friday, followed by the 1,500 a day later, combined to make the Sacred Heart Catholic High School graduate the first woman to win those events in the same NCAA final. They also complement wins in 2010 in the 1,500 and cross-country, raising the question, ‘What’s next’?

With one more year of eligibility, it must be discomforting for NCAA rivals hoping the Newmarket Huskies runner is inclined to mosey on down the road sooner, not later. Beyond that loom the 2012 Olympics in London, England and 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Although highly competitive and driven, Reid could not have foreseen she’d be collecting multiple championships in one of the NCAA’s more international and diverse sports.

“Definitely not,” said Reid, who returned to her parents’ Newmarket home Monday night. “One would have been very nice, so it’s a lot more than I hoped for.”

That said, Reid still has eligibility for cross-country in the fall and the outdoor season next spring when she returns to the downtown Philadelphia school for a fifth year.

“I think it works out well for me as a build-up toward the 2012 season,” said Reid, who will compete at Canadian senior nationals next week in Calgary for the first time in her career. “I need consistency when I’m trying to qualify for London and Villanova is a familiar situation for me. I’m five seconds off (Olympics qualifying time), but I think it is something that is really do-able. I think I’ll be able to run faster this year.”

Qualifying for the London Games is on her wish list for the next year. Reid views that challenge as a step toward 2016 in Rio, when she will be reaching her prime.



“Middle distance runners hit stride in their mid to late 20s, but I think for what I want to do later, it would be great to qualify for next year,” said Reid, who is leaning toward the 1,500. “To be there in 2012 would be great for the experience. By 2016, I want to be in the final and kicking and trying to win a medal for Canada.

“It would be a fantastic experience and a huge honour to represent Canada. I haven’t been able to do that for a while, but I’d like to do something for Canada.”

There is a certain comfort level built in to the NCAA system that Reid embraces and wants to maintain to feed her competitive engine. She welcomes the challenge on the track and off.

“It’s a tough system,” conceded Reid, whose freshman year was marred by hip surgery. “There’s definitely a gap between the top NCAA athletes and the top runners in the world, but it is a good stepping stone. The big thing is being in competitive racing day in and day out. It’s the perfect training environment.”

Because of the grueling nature of collegiate competition, Reid has never competed in the national championships at the senior level.

“I’ve never run Canadians or against these women before because I’ve always stuck to NCAAs,” Reid said. “But I’m excited to mix up with the seniors. They’re all very experienced racers.”

With a large recruiting class scheduled to enter the Villanova program, Reid is also eager to return and offer guidance to a new class of Wildcats. Perhaps she’ll even earn another national title or two.

“I came in with a big class and we kind of took over the team,” she explained. “We were loud and the senior class didn’t know what to do with us. There was no one to show us right from wrong, although eventually we found our way. I’d like to return by scoring well and showing younger girls the ropes.”

Coaches Poll Ranks Villanova Third Best Women's Program

For the Ducks, A Third-Straight Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year Nod

Courtesy: Tom Lewis, USTFCCCA
June 15, 2011

NEW ORLEANS – The women’s program at the University of Oregon is the winner of the USTFCCCA’s Terry Crawford Program of the Year award for the 2010-2011 academic year. The Ducks, who have been the top-billed team in the program-wide competition for a third-straight year, won their second-consecutive NCAA Indoor Track & Field national team title in March, preceding a runner-up showing at the latest NCAA outdoor meet last weekend. The USTFCCCA Program of the Year award, now in its third year of existence, is given to an institution that had the best combined team finishes in each of the NCAA’s cross country/track & field sports in a given academic year.

Terry Crawford Women’s Division I Program of the Year Winners

2010-2011: Oregon (1st), Arizona (2nd), Villanova (3rd)
2009-2010: Oregon (1st), Florida (2nd), Penn State (3rd)
2008-2009: Oregon (1st), Florida State (2nd), Arizona State (3rd)

The track & field finishes are combined with Oregon’s 12th-place NCAA cross country finish from the fall, giving the Ducks and the program’s director Vin Lananna 15 points — the best score of the competition.

In March, Oregon (67) produced a 29-point victory over runner-up Texas (38) for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field team championship. It was the largest margin of victory for a team since 1998 as the Ducks would claim three event titles. Sophomore Jordan Hasay lit up the track by winning national crowns in the mile and 3000 meters. Brianne Theisen broke her own collegiate record in winning the pentathlon with 4,540 points.

At the outdoor meet, the Ducks finished second with 45 points to three-time champ Texas A&M’s 49. Sophomore Anne Kesselring claimed the NCAA crown at 800 meters (2:02.15), and senior Melissa Gergel produced top-honors in the pole vault, equaling the championship record with a clear of 14-7¼ (4.45m).

In the fall, Hasay helped the Ducks to a 12th-place team finish at the national cross country championships. Hasay placed third overall in the six-kilometer race, the best finish by a Duck since 1991.

Arizona took second in the overall standings with 23½ points (11 XC, =7 ITF, 5 OTF), notching the best finish in their program’s history and improving from an eighth-place finish a year ago.

Cross country two-time NCAA team champion Villanova placed third overall in the Program of the Year standings with 24½ points. The Wildcats added a 12th-place indoor finish and 11th-place outdoor showing to their cross country crown. [In addition to the individual and team cross country championships, the Villanova women won the NCAA DMR title at the indoor championships. At the recently completed NCAA outdoor meet, Villanova's Sheila Reid won both the 5000 and 1500 meter national titles, the first time in NCAA history that a woman had accomplished such a double at the same championship meet -- BC]

A total of 18 programs scored at each of the NCAA’s championships in 2010-2011; however, none of the squads recorded top-ten finishes in each of the three meets.

The Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year Award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and former Cal Poly head coach Terry Crawford. Crawford has won five NCAA National Championships, and over 20 Conference Championships. Her 1986 Texas squad remains as the only NCAA women’s program to ever win the Triple Crown (cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles).

The NCAA Division I Program of the Year Awards are awarded annually to the most outstanding cross country/track & field programs. The award honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year (spanning the cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution’s finish at the NCAA Division I Championships.

In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NCAA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each NCAA Division I Championship in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field (i.e. 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points, 31st = 31 points) with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award recipient. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.

Program of the Year Award Standings (Top Five FINAL)
Women’s Division I – Terry Crawford Award

1.   Oregon          15 pts
2.   Arizona         23.5 pts
3.   Villanova       24.5 pts
4.   Texas           30.5 pts
5.   Florida State   32 pts

Video of Sheila Reid's NCAA 1500 Victory

Sheila Reid Named Finalist for Track & Field Honda Sports Award

The Collegiate Women Sports Awards announced today the four nominees for the 2010-2011 Honda Sports Award, which goes to the top woman collegiate athlete in track and field. The four nominees are Texas A&M's Jessica Beard, Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU, Florida State's Kim Williams, and Villanova's Sheila Reid.

Jessica Beard, from Euclid, Ohio won the NCAA title last weekend in the 400 meters and anchored Texas A&M's national championship 4 x 400 relay team. Kimberlyn Duncan, from Katy, Texas finished as NCAA champion in the 200 meters and was second in the 100 meters. Kim Williams, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica and competes in the jumps, was national runner-up in the triple jump and was 13th in the long jump. Villanova's Sheila Reid, from Newmarket, Ontario, became the first woman in NCAA history to win both the 1500 and 5000 meter national titles in a single championship meet. Reid is also the reigning national champion in cross country.

After nationwide balloting, the winner will become a candidate for The Honda-Broderick Cup awarded annually to the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Now in its 35th year, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards honors 15 outstanding female athletes from NCAA-member schools every year. In addition to the honor of this selection, American Honda will donate $1,000 to the women's athletic fund of each nominee's university. The athlete chosen as the Honda Sports Award recipient for track and field will receive $5,000.

Previous track and field athletes chosen as the overall Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year include Julie Shea of North Carolina State (1979-80), Vicki Huber of Villanova (1988-89) and Suzy Favor of Wisconsin (1989-90).

Reid, Mimic, Ward & Gibney named All-American

The US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has released the list of All-Americans for the outdoor track season. Here are Villanova's All-Americans:

Villanova
5000m Run            Bogdana Mimic SO          Second Team
1500m Run            Sheila Reid JR            First Team
5000m Run            Sheila Reid JR            First Team
100m Hurdles         Shericka Ward JR          Second Team
1500m Run            Matthew Gibney  SR        First Team

The entire list of All-Americans can be viewed by clicking the title of this post.