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Koll honored as top female track athlete
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2010-06-03
Iowa State’s Lisa Koll can’t believe how far she’s come as a runner.
Since arriving on campus in 2005, she’s gone from an unknown freshman on the Cyclone roster to the best collegiate athlete in America as Koll received the Honda Sports Award for track and field Thursday.
“To be recognized as the top female in the sport currently is beyond my mind,” Koll said. “Really it’s something where those are the type of people I’ve looked up to ever since I got into college and to be in their shoes is incredible.”
Koll came to ISU from Fort Dodge just looking to improve as a runner, but in the process became one of the Cyclones most successful athletes in history.
She is a two-time NCAA champion, a nine-time All-American and a nine-time Big 12 champion. She became the first woman to win the same Big 12 title, the 10,000-meter race, four straight years.
She also ran the sixth fastest 10,000 time in American history in March, finishing the race in 31 minutes, 18.07 seconds, which is also a collegiate record.
“It’s been a long road for her, and she’s worked really hard to attain those things,” ISU track coach Corey Ihmels said. “And it’s just exciting to see her have those things come to the fore now.”
Koll hopes to add two more NCAA titles to her resume next week.
She will run in the 10,000 and the 5,000, looking to sweep nationals just like she did the Big 12 championships in May.
“It’s going to be quite a task to double and try to get them both, but I figure it’s my last NCAA meet, so you have to take a shot,” Koll said.
Koll won the 10,000 NCAA outdoor championship in 2008. Last year Koll placed ninth in the 10,000.
She also won the 5,000 NCAA indoor championship in March and now looks to win them both two days apart. The 10,000 race is Wednesday while the 5,000 will be next Friday.
“It’s nationals,” Koll said. “You never know what is going to happen. You can look on paper and say those races are mine to lose, and you get into the competition and you get into the meet and weird things happen at nationals. You got to be prepared.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2010-06-03
Iowa State's Lisa Koll was given the Honda Sports Award Thursday to honor the nation's best female collegiate track and field athlete.
Tribune file photo
Tribune file photo
Iowa State’s Lisa Koll can’t believe how far she’s come as a runner.
Since arriving on campus in 2005, she’s gone from an unknown freshman on the Cyclone roster to the best collegiate athlete in America as Koll received the Honda Sports Award for track and field Thursday.
“To be recognized as the top female in the sport currently is beyond my mind,” Koll said. “Really it’s something where those are the type of people I’ve looked up to ever since I got into college and to be in their shoes is incredible.”
Koll came to ISU from Fort Dodge just looking to improve as a runner, but in the process became one of the Cyclones most successful athletes in history.
She is a two-time NCAA champion, a nine-time All-American and a nine-time Big 12 champion. She became the first woman to win the same Big 12 title, the 10,000-meter race, four straight years.
She also ran the sixth fastest 10,000 time in American history in March, finishing the race in 31 minutes, 18.07 seconds, which is also a collegiate record.
“It’s been a long road for her, and she’s worked really hard to attain those things,” ISU track coach Corey Ihmels said. “And it’s just exciting to see her have those things come to the fore now.”
Koll hopes to add two more NCAA titles to her resume next week.
She will run in the 10,000 and the 5,000, looking to sweep nationals just like she did the Big 12 championships in May.
“It’s going to be quite a task to double and try to get them both, but I figure it’s my last NCAA meet, so you have to take a shot,” Koll said.
Koll won the 10,000 NCAA outdoor championship in 2008. Last year Koll placed ninth in the 10,000.
She also won the 5,000 NCAA indoor championship in March and now looks to win them both two days apart. The 10,000 race is Wednesday while the 5,000 will be next Friday.
“It’s nationals,” Koll said. “You never know what is going to happen. You can look on paper and say those races are mine to lose, and you get into the competition and you get into the meet and weird things happen at nationals. You got to be prepared.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
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