Meet Results
MARIETTA, Ohio - Westfield State College junior Kerry Arouca (Hanson, Mass.) earned All America honors by placing third in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships on Friday, May 22.
Arouca shattered her own school record in the grueling race with a time of 10:31.71. She entered the national championships as the No. 9 seed with a time of 10:44.54.
The third time was a charm for the hard-working junior distance runner, who became the first Westfield State female to earn All-America status in a track event since 1987. During the 2008-2009 academic year, she qualified for the cross country national championships and just missed All-America honors by placing ninth in the 5,000 meter run at the indoor national finals.
"Kerry did a good job," said Westfield head coach Sean O'Brien. "I was worried at the beginnin because she got off to a slow start. But she was just feeling everybody out; she just had to believe she could run with them."
Arouca began to settle in with the lead pack around the third or fourth lap, according to O'Brien. She was running side-by-side with MIT junior Jacqui Wentz and overtook her in the final 200 meters, edging Wentz by 9/10ths of a second.
Junior Stephanie Perleberg of Wisconsin La Crosse won the national title with a time of 10:22.34. Placing second was senior Katie Theisen of St. Thomas University in 10:27.58.
Arouca was the top runner from New England. Williams College sophomore Meghan Shea, who defeated Arouca in the All New England championships, placed ninth in 10:50.11.
"I am confident Kerry can continue to drop her time," said O'Brien. "At the start of the race she was trying to pass other runners on the inside of the track, which slowed her a bit, and she has to keep improving on clearing the hurdles."
Westfield State's other two participants in the national championships - seniors Marlee Berg and Caitlin Handcock - will be competing in the high jump finals on Saturday at 2:20 p.m.
Westfield State's Kerry Arouca receives her trophy for placing third in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships.