Wright Runs to Fourth All-American Nod in 10K at NCAAs
EUGENE, Ore. — Alice Wright’s run to history took 25 laps and over 30 minutes. But, at the end of her lengthy race, she stood alone in the record books.
Wright, a redshirt senior for the University of New Mexico track & field team, captured her fourth-straight All-American honor in the women’s 10,000-meter run on the second day of the 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
She finished the 25-lap race in 32 minutes, 17.92 seconds to place fourth overall and become just the first female athlete in NCAA history to earn four consecutive All-American honors in the women’s 10,000.
Additionally, Charlotte Prouse advanced on Thursday to the finals of the 3000-meter steeplechase as the Lobos opened the first day of the women’s championship at Hayward Field.
The final day of the women’s championship takes place Saturday, with the conclusion of the men’s championship Friday.
But Thursday’s action was all about New Mexico’s vaunted distance runners, including Wright’s unparalleled run into the record books.
Alice Wright is the first female athlete in NCAA history to be an All-American in the 10,000-meter run in FOUR-STRAIGHT years! #GoLobos #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/SrjPv7mEM5
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) June 8, 2018
Competing in a stacked field, Wright quickly moved to the front of the pack, holding the lead through the first five kilometers.
After yielding the lead halfway through the race, she remained in the lead pack for the remainder of the event, outkicking the 2017 champion Charlotte Taylor of San Francisco on the homestretch for fourth place.
Wright’s time of 32:17.92 just missed her school record mark of 32:15.73 set earlier this year, but gives her three times under 32:20 this season.
She also became the first female athlete in NCAA history to be All-American in the 10,000 at four straight championships. Additionally, she’s the first female athlete in Mountain West and UNM history to be a four-time All-American in any event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
On her career, Wright has earned eight All-American honors between cross country (four) and track & field (four). No athlete in program history has as many honors.
For Prouse, she became just the second female in program history to advance to the finals of the 3000 steeplechase as she placed second in her semifinal heat with a time of 9:49.78.
After opening the race near the front of the 12-runner field, Prouse moved up to second place two laps in. She never relinquished that position, eventually building a sizeable lead over the final laps en route to her season-best clocking.
Prouse’s time is the third-fastest in program history, giving her five of the top-10 performances all-time at UNM.
In the UNM record books, Prouse ranks only behind NCAA record holder Courtney Frerichs, the only other Lobo woman to have ever advance to the finals of the steeplechase at the NCAA Championships. Frerichs registered her record time of 9:24.41 in 2016.
Prouse will compete in the finals of the 3000 steeplechase at 4:54 p.m. MT on Saturday.
The Lobos will return to action Friday as Josh Kerr looks to defend his NCAA title and NCAA record in the finals of the 1500-meter run at 6:42 p.m. MT. His race will be televised on ESPN.
NOTES: Wright’s time of 32:17.92 was under the previous meet record of 32:28.57 set in 1988 by Sylvia Mosqueda of Cal State Los Angeles
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