Grandt Sets Meet Record In 10K

Clara Grandt set a new meet record in the 10K as the West Virginia University track & field team sits in seventh place with 16 points heading into the final day of competition at the 2008 ECAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Princeton, N.J.

Grandt lapped some of the field on her way to winning the 10,000-meter run in the second-fastest time in school history (Tara Struyk – 34:14.93). The West Union, W.Va., native finished in 34:15.07 to break Maryland’s Mary Walsh’s 28-year old meet record of 34:16.35 set in 1980. Grandt’s time almost guarantees her a spot at the NCAA nationals and is the 22nd fastest time in that event this year.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with how well our girls are running so far,” Head Coach Sean Cleary says. “It’s been a long year, and the girls are running solid performances each time out.”

Teammate Keri Bland also likely locked up a spot at nationals by winning the preliminaries of the 1,500-meter run. The Fairview, W.Va., native led the field to finish in 4:17.02, which ties her for the eighth-fastest time in the country and is the second-best ever at WVU. Toward the end of the run, Bland distanced from the pack as she finished seven seconds ahead of the second-place time of Duke’s Molly Lehman.

BIG EAST hurdle champion Chelsea Carrier opted out of the individual 100m hurdles this weekend to solely concentrate on attempting to qualify for nationals in the heptathlon. Carrier took third place with a total of 5,188 points. Carrier’s top point totals came from the 100m hurdles (1st – 13.66), long jump (2nd- 5.57m), high jump (3rd – 1.63m), 200m (3rd – 25.15) and the 800m (3rd – 2:22.29).

In other WVU competition, April Rotilio finished ninth in the 400-meter dash at 54.95; Karly Hamric took 14th in the 800m at 2:11; Alison Spiker crossed in 13th in the steeplechase at 10:59.98; Alexis Noel took 19th in the long jump at 5.58m; Kaylyn Christopher placed 22nd in the 1,500m at 4:33.05.

Also, Kristen Loughry and Alex Acker each tied for 11th in the in pole vault by clearing 3.65m and the 4x400 relay team placed 11th (3:48.34). Freshman high jumper Katelyn Williams, who is ranked 26th in the country and seventh in the East Region in the high jump, will compete Sunday.