Mauro Qualifies Provisionally for the NCAA Outdoor Championships

Results

DURHAM, N.H. --- Senior Nicole Mauro (Mashpee, MA) clocked a time of 17:19.26 in the 5,000 meter run to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the first day of the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA) meet hosted by the University of New Hampshire.

Mauro finished in ninth place in the event, beat the qualifying standard of 17:35.00 and stands a good chance of punching her ticket to the championships which will be held at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in two weeks.  Mauro shaved one minute and forty seconds off of her previous season best when she captured the New England Alliance Title in the 5,000 meter run (18:49.97) just two weeks ago.

If Mauro’s time is good enough to qualify, she will become the first athlete in the history of Bridgewater State to compete at the NCAA Division III Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the same season. Mauro finished in 135th out of the 280 competitors at the 6k course St. Olaf, Minnesota and in 11th at the Indoor Championships in the 5,000 meter run at Ohio Northern.

Mauro’s time was only ten seconds off of the school record that was set by Debbie Mueller in 1982 (17:09.2).

In the preliminary round of the 400 meter hurdles, senior Rachael Smith (Somerset, MA) earned a trip to the finals, which will be held at 3 o’clock today. With a time of 1:03.63, Smith eclipsed her season-best standard from last week’s race at the New England Division III Regionals. Smith has also set the school record in the event for the second time this season.

Release written by Steven M Miller, Jr --- Sports Information Correspondent