Feb. 3, 2007

Millrose and Armory Collegiate Invite Photo Gallery --- Complete Results

NEW YORK - Brendan Fennell outclassed the field in the college men's 3000 meters, running a personal-best 8:07.01, the second-fastest time in school history, to highlight a slew of strong performances Saturday at the Armory Collegiate Invite in New York City.

Fennell, who had just missed qualifying for the championship section, simply ran away from the field in his heat of the 3000 meters. After letting two Texas runners lead through a 2:44 first kilometer, Fennell went to the front and poured on the pace. Without any challengers, he hit the mile 4:21 and covered the next kilometer in 2:42 as his lead grew to over 25 meters. The AU junior did not let up over the final five laps, tightening the screws to a 2:40 final kilo and a 61 final 400. His time is the second-fastest in school history and a personal best by over 15 seconds. It is Fennell's second personal best of the indoor season and sets him up well to run either the 1000, mile or 3000 at the Patriot League Championships in two weeks. In the following 3000 meters heat, graduate student Conor Lanz took third, running a season-best 8:28.93.

Before the men hit the track, junior distance runner Cathleen Ford smashed her personal best in the 3000 meters by more than 12 seconds, running 10:06.87 for fourth in her heat of the college women's 3000 meters. The owner of new lifetime bests in the mile and 3000 in this 2006-07 season, Ford's previous 3000 meter personal record was 10:19.93 run at this track last year.

A day after anchoring the men's 4 by 800 relay to a stirring victory at the Millrose Games, Dustin Emrani set a season-best in the men's championship 800 meters with a sixth-place, 1:54.70 performance.

The men's mile also had its share of drama. Distance runner Awit Yohannes ran a spirited race in the fourth section of the college men's mile. After a slow early pace through 400 meters (65), Yohannes took the lead and towed the field through five laps before being overtaken by a handful of runners. In eighth-place with 400 meters to go, Yohannes started picking runners off one by one, moving up to third entering the bell lap. Despite churning a furious last lap of 28 seconds, the AU senior fell three strides short in the homestretch, settling for second in 4:13.99. Two heats earlier and coming back from his performance at the Millrose Games Friday night, Alex Caudana led from laps two through five of his debut in the mile. The AU senior lost ground over the following 600 meters and could not make it up even with a strong last lap for a sixth-place 4:20.12 performance.

All-in-all American posted three top times in 2006-07 at the meet.

The Eagles will send a limited squad to the Thomson Invite at Delaware next weekend as it prepares for the upcoming Patriot League Championships in two weeks hosted by Army in West Point, N.Y.