Monday, November 13, 2006
Contact: Adam Prendergast
Campbell Senior Alicia Valtin
Qualifies for NCAA Cross Country Championships
BUIES CREEK, N.C.—Campbell University
senior Alicia Valtin received an at-large bid for the NCAA Cross
Country Championships after finishing 17th at the NCAA
Southeast Regional over the weekend.
Indiana State University serves as this year's host for the
NCAA Championships which will take place on Monday, November 20 in
Terre Haute, Ind. The women's 6K race begins at 12:00 pm followed
by the men's 10K race at 1:15 pm.
The two-time Atlantic Sun Runner of the Year becomes just the
second Campbell student-athlete to qualify for the NCAA
Championships since the women's program made the jump from the NAIA
to the NCAA in 1986.
Valtin is the only runner, male or female, to qualify out of
the Atlantic Sun.
"We are all really excited and proud of what Alicia has
accomplished this season," Campbell head coach Ken Frenette said.
"She ran a great race this past weekend at the regional to qualify
for the NCAA Championships. This was a big goal of hers before the
season started and she has worked extremely hard throughout her
career to achieve this."
Valtin joins Heather Lee as the only Fighting Camels to compete
on the NCAA's highest stage. Lee competed in the 2003 NCAA
Championships after winning her second A-Sun Championship in three
seasons. She finished 1:41 off the pace placing 91st
out of a field of 252 runners with a time of 21:11.
Valtin has been the Camels top runner in each of the last 14
races she has entered dating back to last season. The Sanford,
N.C. native has won eight of her last 14 races and finished in the
top 10 in all but two (both NCAA Regionals).
To qualify for the NCAA Championships as an individual, the
runner must be one of the top four individual finishers on a team
that didn't qualify at their respective regional race. Valtin was
the third highest individual at the regional race in Louisville,
Ky.
A five-time Atlantic Sun Runner of the Week, Valtin is the
A-Sun Championship record holder with her performance at the 2005
A-Sun Championship. She has the fastest 5K time in Campbell
history (16:56) and two of the top three 6K times.
