UNM’s Wright makes track history

EUGENE, Ore. — The news was good and bad both Thursday night for University of New Mexico track AllAmerican Alice Wright.

In the women’s 10,000 meters, the lone track final of the day in the NCAA outdoor championships, Wright broke a 30-year-old meet record in the event. But so did four other runners, three of whom finished ahead of her in a fast final. Wright, who set the pace and led most of the first 10 laps, finished in 32 minutes, 17.92 seconds and in fourth place. Kansas’ Sharon Lokedi won at 32:09.20. The old meet record was 32:28.57.

Wright, who finished runner-up in the event last year in 32:42.64, became the first female athlete in NCAA history to be All-American in the 10,000 at four straight championships and 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.

Earlier Thursday, UNM’s Charlotte Prouse ran the third fastest time in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinals in 9 minutes, 49.78 seconds in one heat Thursday. There were two heats of 12, and 12 runners reach Saturday’s 4:54 p.m. final.

Today, Lobo star Josh Kerr will try to defend his NCAA title in the men’s 1,500, which is scheduled for 6:42 p.m. MT. (Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.) Kerr had the fastest time (3:47.47) in Wednesday’s semifinals by 0.14 of a second.