PHILADELPHIA – Josh Ellis finished second in the men's steeplechase to post American University's top individual finish at the historic Penn Relays held at Franklin Field.
AU assistant coach Kerri Gallagher made a big splash on the national stage by winning the Olympic Development Women's mile. Gallagher, who won the Army 10-Miler in D.C., won in a wire-to-wire run of 4:34.42, besting a field that included Olympians, NCAA champions and top collegiate runners.
Ellis ran 9:10.08 in the college division of the steeplechase, finishing behind only Khalil Rmidi Kinini of UMES, who ran 9:02.84. Ellis will be one of the top seeds for next week's Patriot League Outdoor Championships.
Eagle sophomore
Corina Velazco posted a season-best by 19 seconds with her time of 10:02.33 in the championship division of the women's 3,000-meter run. Velazco's mark moved her from seventh to fourth on AU's all-time list in that event.
Brendan Johnson, making his first appearance of the outdoor season since the opener, finished ninth in the men's college division 5,000 at 14:30.94, missing an IC4A-qualifying mark by less than a second.
Eagle assistant coach Chris Kwaitkowski was fifth in the Olympic Development Men's 5,000, running 14:33.39.
American will compete on Friday and Saturday in the Patriot League Outdoor Championships, to be held at Army West Point.
