10,000m Championship Race Results

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 23, 2010) – Sophomore Johanna Spangler set an NCAA Division III Championship provisional qualifying mark with a 36:24.27 time in the 10,000m Championship at the University of Pennsylvania Penn Relays Distance Carnival late Thursday night. 

Spangler's record performance betters the provisional NCAA Championship time of 37:30, and makes Spangler the first Vassar Track and Field athlete to meet an NCAA standard in the program's three-year history.

Running in the combined women's college/Olympic Development 10,000m Championships, Spangler finished 21st in a field of 34 runners and was the seventh Division III runner to finish. Joana Rivero, affiliated with the Turabo Club in Puerto Rico, won the race in 34:13.37. She was followed by a pair of runners from Division I power Texas A&M.

Spangler started the race conservatively and steadily worked her way up through the field for her impressive showing. For Spangler, it was her third school record in six days, following school records in the 1500m (4:52.23) and 5K (17:41.57) at the Liberty League Championships last Saturday at Vasssar.

"We are delighted," said head coach James McCowan. "Johanna is having an exceptional season and really experiencing the rewards of her hard work. I know she can go much faster still in the 10K if we risk a little more early on, but now we will take a few rest days and focus on getting the 5K time down too. It has been a pleasure to watch Johanna run all season."

Both the men's and women's Vassar Track and Field teams will compete at Rensselaer in the Capital District Classic on Saturday in Troy, NY.