North Carolina State University Athletics
Track Sends Five Individuals to Outdoor NCAA Championships
6/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Track
June 10, 2003
Raleigh, N.C. - The NC State track & field team will be sending five athletes to compete in four events this week at the 2003 Outdoor NCAA Championships being held at California State University in Sacramento, California.
Junior Kristin Price will run in the women's 10,000 meters, as she is the fifth seed with a top time of 33:27.78 this season. Price is the defending national champion in this event, as became NC State's first national champion since 1993 last year at LSU with a time of 34:26.63. During the indoor season earlier this year, Price won All-American honors with her sixth place showing in the 5,000 meters at the Indoor NCAA Championships.
Also competing in the 10,000 meters for the second straight year will be senior Beth Fonner. Fonner enters this year's race as the 14th seed with a top time of 34:11.88. Last year at LSU, Fonner placed 18th in a time of 36:09.39. Fonner's top time this season came at the ACC Championships where she finished second.
Junior Renee Gunning is the final member of the NC State women's team to compete in the NCAA Championships this year. Gunning is the 15th seed in the 5,000 meters with a top time of 16:30.71. A transfer from Villanova, Gunning will be running in her first NCAA Championships.
The NC State men's track squad will be sending two members to Sacramento. Freshman Jesse Williams is the men's highest seed. Williams is seeded fifth in the high jump with a top mark of 7'04" this season. Williams recorded a NCAA Regional qualifying mark in all nine of his meets this season, and finished second at both the NCAA Regionals and the ACC Championships. During the indoor season earlier this year, Williams won All-American honors with is third place showing in the high jump at the Indoor NCAA Championships.
Sophomore Andy Smith will run in the 3,000 meter steeplechase for the second straight year at the NCAA Championships. The ACC Champion in the steeplechase this season, Smith is the seventh seed with a top time of 8:39.80. Last year, Smith placed 19th with his time of 9:00.00.
The prelims for men's 3,000 meter steeplechase and the women's 5,000 meters will each be run on Wednesday. The finals of the 10,000 meters and the prelims of the men's high jump will both be Thursday.
