Ferris State's Rudd Takes 10th In 5,000 Meters On Final Day Of NCAA-II Track Championships

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Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's outdoor track and field squad wrapped up action in the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championships on Saturday (May 24) with a single competitor on the final day in Allendale, Mich.

Senior Anna Rudd (Leslie), who previously earned All-America honors in the 10,000 meters during opening day action on Thursday (May 22), came back to finish 10th overall in the 5,000 meters on Saturday evening at the Grand Valley State Track and Field Stadium. She clocked 16:48.60 in the event, which was won by Alicia Nelson of Adams State (Colo.) in a time of 16:29.60. A total of 22 athletes took part in the competiton.

Ferris State had three competitors take part in this year's national championships, which marked the final Bulldog athletics action of the 2013-14 campaign. The Bulldogs are guided by head coach Steve Picucci.

On Thursday, Bulldog junior Breeann Ovokaitys (Cedar Springs) competed during the opening day of action and finished 18th overall in the prelims of the 1,500 meters. She was timed in 4:40.18 overall as FSU's first competitor at the national meet, but did not advance to the finals in her first appearace at the national outdoor championships. 

Rudd then followed on day one with a fifth-place performance in the 10,000 meters to earn All-America recognition with a time of 35:31.33. The race was her first of two events in the national championships along with the 5,000 meters.

Senior Alyssa Osika (Waterford/Mott) competed in the prelims of the 800 meters on day two Friday (May 23) and finished 12th overall in a time of 2:10.34, but failed to advance to the final round after being a late addition to the national championship field.

The national meet was hosted by GVSU along with the West Michigan Sports Commission.

Student-athletes qualified for the championships by reaching the automatic and provisional standards established for each event with the final selected participants chosen based on their performance marks.

All three Bulldogs competing in the national championships previously earned All-America honors at the Division II National Indoor Championships held in March (14-15) in Winston-Salem, N.C. Rudd placed seventh overall in the 5K at the indoor nationals in a time of 17:14.19 to earn All-America honors for the second-straight year in the event. Both Ovokaitys and Osika were members of FSU's distance medley relay team that claimed All-America honors with a seventh-place national meet finish this winter. Previously, Rudd was a national champion for the Bulldogs during the 2013 indoor season in the 5,000 meters.

A total of 754 participants, 377 men and 377 women, competed in this year's championships. 

For complete results from the NCAA-II Championships, please visit this link:
http://www.primetimetiming.com/liveresults/2014/ncaa_outdoor/