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Koll crowned 5,000 champion
Date Posted: 2010-06-11
When Lisa Koll crossed the finish line to win the 5,000-meter run, the fourth NCAA title of her career, she shed some tears in Eugene, Ore., before an adoring Hayward Field crowd of more than 11,000 fans Friday.
“On one hand I was so happy about ending my career this way, but on the other hand my career at Iowa State is over and there will be things that I will really treasure for the rest of my life.”
The Fort Dodge native, an ISU senior, pushed the pace to win in 15 minutes, 23.80 seconds, more than 30 seconds ahead of eventual runner-up Marie-Louise Asselin of West Virginia, who ran a 15:23.80. Koll’s time was the 11th fastest ever by a collegiate runner.
Oregon leads the women’s team scoring with 30 points. ISU is second with 28. Iowa State’s men are tied for 17th place with 10 points. Texas A&M leads the men’s scoring with 36 points.
Koll said her collegiate career far exceeded her expectations. Now she will start on a professional career, beginning with the USA Championships in Des Moines in two weeks. She has her sights set on making the 2012 U.S. Olympic team in the 10,000 meters.
“If you had told me when I came to Iowa State that I would be where I am now, I would have laughed at you,” Koll said. “My goal this year was to run 31:45 and when I finished 12th in the NCAA cross country meet, I thought, ‘How am I going to run 31:45 when I finish 12th in cross country?’”
Koll went on to run a collegiate record and become the sixth-fastest American all-time when she ran 31:18.07 on March 26 in Palo Alto, Calif. The veterinary medicine student at ISU finishes her career as an 11-time All-American and nine-time Big 12 champion.
Saturday’s race had its drama. Koll’s main challenger figured to be NCAA cross country champion Angela Bizzarri of Illinois. At the NCAA indoor meet in March, Koll had won the 5,000 and came back to run the 3,000 two days later. Bizzarri, who had not run the 5,000 indoors, outkicked Koll for the 3,000 title at the national indoor meet.
“We knew that we needed to run the first 3,000 in 9:10 if we were going to set a tough pace,” Iowa State coach Corey Ihmels said. “Lisa went through in exactly that and it wasn’t easy because it was really windy.”
At the sound of the starter’s gun, only Bizzarri and Asselin stayed with Koll. Asselin fell off the pace at around the 3,000-meter mark. With about 1,600 meters left, Bizzari dropped way off the pace and did not finish the race.
Koll became the first woman to win national titles in both the 5,000 and 10,000 since Arizona’s Amy Skieresz did it in 1997 and 1998.
“It was great performance to cap an incredible career; you couldn’t ask for anything more,” Ihmels said.
Earlier, Iowa State’s Hilary Bor finished third in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase to earn All-America honors for the third time in the event. Matt Hughes of Louisville won in 8:34.18, followed by Donn Cabral of Princeton in 8:38.90 and Bor in 8:39.11.
Date Posted: 2010-06-11
Iowa State’s Lisa Koll celebrates Friday after winning a national title in the 5,000-meter run at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. She had won the 10,000 on Wednesday.
Associated Press photo
Associated Press photo
When Lisa Koll crossed the finish line to win the 5,000-meter run, the fourth NCAA title of her career, she shed some tears in Eugene, Ore., before an adoring Hayward Field crowd of more than 11,000 fans Friday.
“On one hand I was so happy about ending my career this way, but on the other hand my career at Iowa State is over and there will be things that I will really treasure for the rest of my life.”
The Fort Dodge native, an ISU senior, pushed the pace to win in 15 minutes, 23.80 seconds, more than 30 seconds ahead of eventual runner-up Marie-Louise Asselin of West Virginia, who ran a 15:23.80. Koll’s time was the 11th fastest ever by a collegiate runner.
Oregon leads the women’s team scoring with 30 points. ISU is second with 28. Iowa State’s men are tied for 17th place with 10 points. Texas A&M leads the men’s scoring with 36 points.
Koll said her collegiate career far exceeded her expectations. Now she will start on a professional career, beginning with the USA Championships in Des Moines in two weeks. She has her sights set on making the 2012 U.S. Olympic team in the 10,000 meters.
“If you had told me when I came to Iowa State that I would be where I am now, I would have laughed at you,” Koll said. “My goal this year was to run 31:45 and when I finished 12th in the NCAA cross country meet, I thought, ‘How am I going to run 31:45 when I finish 12th in cross country?’”
Koll went on to run a collegiate record and become the sixth-fastest American all-time when she ran 31:18.07 on March 26 in Palo Alto, Calif. The veterinary medicine student at ISU finishes her career as an 11-time All-American and nine-time Big 12 champion.
Saturday’s race had its drama. Koll’s main challenger figured to be NCAA cross country champion Angela Bizzarri of Illinois. At the NCAA indoor meet in March, Koll had won the 5,000 and came back to run the 3,000 two days later. Bizzarri, who had not run the 5,000 indoors, outkicked Koll for the 3,000 title at the national indoor meet.
“We knew that we needed to run the first 3,000 in 9:10 if we were going to set a tough pace,” Iowa State coach Corey Ihmels said. “Lisa went through in exactly that and it wasn’t easy because it was really windy.”
At the sound of the starter’s gun, only Bizzarri and Asselin stayed with Koll. Asselin fell off the pace at around the 3,000-meter mark. With about 1,600 meters left, Bizzari dropped way off the pace and did not finish the race.
Koll became the first woman to win national titles in both the 5,000 and 10,000 since Arizona’s Amy Skieresz did it in 1997 and 1998.
“It was great performance to cap an incredible career; you couldn’t ask for anything more,” Ihmels said.
Earlier, Iowa State’s Hilary Bor finished third in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase to earn All-America honors for the third time in the event. Matt Hughes of Louisville won in 8:34.18, followed by Donn Cabral of Princeton in 8:38.90 and Bor in 8:39.11.
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