University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Mt. SAC Relays
Traynor Breaks Richmond's 5k Record, Qualifies For NCAAs At Mt. SAC Relays
04/18/2009 | Women's Track & Field
April 18, 2009
Mt. SAC Relay Results | Princeton Invitational Results
WALNUT, Calif. - Sophomore Nicol Traynor raced to a fifth-place finish in the 5k Friday night at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. Traynor's time broke the six-year school record and was an NCAA qualifying time. The Spiders also competed at the Princeton Invitational Friday.
Traynor broke the school record by nearly 10 seconds, placing fifth in the Olympic Development 5k race. Her time if 16:17.64 broke Ruth Chege's school record of 16:27.71 set in 2003 at the Penn Relays.
The sophomore easily met the NCAA Regional qualifying standard of 16:52.0 and her time Friday night was 40 seconds faster than she ran at the Mt. SAC Relays one year ago in the same race.
"I felt really good and knew from my workouts I was ready," said Traynor. "The race went out slow. Our first lap was the slowest lap of the race, but things picked up after that and we got into a good rhythm."
Traynor took the first 1,600m out in 5:10.6, clocked in at 9:43.44 at the 3k mark and was 10:22.9 at 3,200m en route to her school record.
Junior Andrew Benford also ran at Mt. SAC and ran 14:45.44 in the Olympic Development 5k race, but was a mark well off his personal-best of 14:09.12 set in this same meet last year. He went through the opening 1,600m in 4:27.8 and 3,200m in 9:07.4 before slowing over the final 1,600m.
"I'm not sure what happened," said Benford. "I felt great and then just before 3,200, I started slowing down. I'm disappointed to say the least."
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PRINCETON, N.J. - A number of Spiders also turned in solid performances Friday at the Princeton University Larry Ellis Invitational in Princeton, N.J. Friday.
In the men's 3k steeplechase, junior Garrett Graham ran 9:23.62 for a personal-best effort by nearly 25 seconds from earlier this season. The time was good for 16th overall in the race of 39 runners.
"I ran relaxed early and pushed hard over the last three laps," said Graham. "I'm happy with the race and believe I can run faster."
Junior Jenn Ennis, running in her first 3k steeplechase, ran 11:07.25 to finish 18th overall in the 36-runner field.
Senior Sean Welsh ran a personal-best of 3:51.68 in the 1,500m. His race started slow with an opening 400m of 1:03.5, followed by another lap of 1:03.2 before things picked up. Welsh then covered the next 400m in 1:01.1 and kicked home in 43.8 for the final 300m.
Sophomore Erin Lunny won the second heat of the 5,000m to set a personal best of 17:54.21. That time was good for 17th-place overall
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Saturday will see a number of Spiders in action at the Christopher-Newport Invitational.
