Proulx Runs to National Title in 10,000-Meter Race

SAINT PAUL, MINN. 5/23/02 - Competing in the 10,000-meter race for just the second time this season, Keene State College’s Mary Proulx raced to the National Championship in the event at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships Thursday evening at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minn.

The junior from Ashland, N.H., posted a winning time of 34:46.86, setting a Macalester Stadium record. Proulx outdistanced runner-up Nicole Cueno from Grinnell (IA) College, who had a time of 34:52.14.

According to KSC Coach Peter Thomas, Proulx won the race in dramatic fashion. Cueno opened up a big lead on Proulx midway in the race. “The crowd thought Cueno was going to win,” Thomas said. “But she went out too early. I had confidence that Mary could catch her,” said Thomas.

Thomas was right. Trailing by four seconds going into the final lap, Proulx caught Cueno with 300-meters to go and pulled way from her to claim the national title. “The stadium was rock’n ” Thomas said.

It’s the third national title for Proulx, who captured both 3,000 and 5,000-meter events at last year’s championship. Proulx has now accumulated seven track All-America awards and nine including cross country.

Proulx moved up to the 10,000 this season after the 3,000-meter race was eliminated in favor of the women’s steeplechase. She will have a day off before defending her 5,000-meter title on Saturday. The Proulx victory raises KSC’s national championship total to seven.

There was also good news for Josh Ferenc. After a mix-up in the scoring of the men’s 10,000-meter race on Thursday, the sophomore from Westmoreland, N.H., was awarded seventh place in the race on Friday to earn his first All-America award. His time was 31:23.50.

Earlier, Mark Miller took a major step toward defending his outdoor 1,500-meter title by recording the best time in his preliminary race on Friday. Running in the first heat of the evening, the junior from Shelburne Falls had a time of 3:52.20. He will now prepare for Saturday’s finals. Miller, who won both indoor and outdoor 1,500-meter championships in 2001, was disqualified in the event at this seasonÕs indoor NCAA meet.

Joe Dunham, a senior from Laramie, Wyo., will run in the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday.

For complete results of the event, visit www.macalester.edu/athletics/ncaa/in dex.html.