Elizabethtown College Track and Field
Friday, April 11, 2008

Seniors Fisher and Bresnahan Roll in the 10,000 Meters at Bucknell Bison Distance Night

LEWISBURG, Pa. --- Distance runners from the Elizabethtown College men's and women's track and field teams saw action at the Bucknell Bison Distance Classic on Friday night.

For the women, senior Erin Fisher (McEwensville, PA/Warrior Run) narrowly missed her personal best time in the 10,000 meters by just two seconds but ran an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time of 36:43.99.

"Erin only started ground running a few times last week and did her first true workout on the ground four days before this race," said coach Chris Straub. "She is now running pain free thanks to the physical therapy at Renaissance Healthcare of Hershey.  After her performance, Erin is clearly back on track toward achieving her goals in the last season of her college career."

Fisher opened the race conservatively, running the first 5,000 meters in 18:35. As she progressed through miles four, five and six she accelerated and completed her second 5k in 18:09. She will compete next at the Penn Relays on April 24, where she hopes to break the school record of 35:50.50 set by 2004 NCAA Division III runner-up Melissa St. Clair.

Meanwhile, senior Dave Bresnahan (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) completed the men's 10,000 meters in 31:38.64 to catapult himself up to third on the college's all-time list.

"Dave has worked very hard for five years to have this race come to fruition.  No one is more deserving.  Dave often ran over 100 miles per week regularly while abroad in New Zealand last semester and had a great 10-week training block over the winter months," said Straub.

Bresnahan got through the first 5k in 15:57 and came home with a split of 15:41 for the second half of the race to climb into third on the all-time list behind All-Americans Dave Berdan (30:14.54) and Jose Miranda (30:17.63) and ahead of Dustin Scott (31:45.65).

In other events, junior Tiffany Kulp (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) overcame a bad spill at the first water jump to break her own school record in the women's steeplechase with a hand time of 11:39.0.

Senior Ryan St. Clair (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) and sophomore Myles Lund (Berwyn, PA/Conestoga) set personal records in the men's steeplechase, as St. Clair finished in 9:47.7 and Lund in 10:06.1.

First-year student Chris Heisey (Middletown, PA/Middletown) ran a personal best in the men's 5,000 meters with a time of 15:37.50, which is the second-best mark ever for an Elizabethtown first-year student. Junior Jeremy Matula (Bath, PA/Northampton) was timed in 15:57.86.