Three Owls to Compete at NCAA Track Championships

KEENE, N.H., 3/7/07 - Three members of the Keene State College track team will be heading to Larry Bird country this weekend for the NCAA Division III Championships that take place at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind.

Owl runners Kevin Kelleher, Sarah Miller, and Jenn Adams are hoping that a little “Larry Legend” luck will rub off on them, they can return home with All-American honors.

Kelleher and Adams will be competing in the mile and Miller will be racing in the 800-meter event.

“If the seedings hold, Kevin and Sarah will be looking at All-America [honors],” said KSC Coach Peter Thomas. “Jenn has her work cut out for her.”

Kelleher, a junior from Rocky Hill, Conn., is seeded fourth in the men’s mile. This will be Kelleher’s first try at an individual All-America honor. He was a member of KSC’s All-America distance medley relay squad as a freshman.

As far as strategy is concerned, Kelleher is leaving that up to Thomas. “I’m going to listen to what Pete wants me to do and hopefully execute the game plan,” he said.

Miller, a member of the Owls’ national championship DMR team and an All- American in the 400 last year, has moved up to the 800 this winter. “It hasn’t been a huge difference,” said the senior from Walpole, N.H. “I had a lot of miles under me after cross country and that really helped.”

Miller is seeded seventh in the race.

Adams has had a brutal winter health-wise. Battling a series of colds and the flu, Adams enters the race as the 13th seed and the only one in the field who hasn’t cranked the five-minute mark in the event. “I’m not in tip-top-shape, but I’m going to give it my best shot,” said the junior from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Adams earned All-America honors in cross country (20th) and indoor (DMR) and outdoor track (10,000-meters) last year.

All three Owls will run qualifying races in their respective events on Friday. The finals will be held on Saturday.