JOPLIN, Mo. (November 17, 2012) - Rollins
senior Lauryn Falcone finished 124th at the NCAA
Division II National Championship Saturday, capping off the most
decorated career in Tars cross country history.
The Somers, Conn. native later became the first Rollins
student-athlete to win the prestigious NCAA Elite 89 award.
The Elite 89 "recognizes the true essence of the
student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the
pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his
or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard
among his or her peers."
The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest
cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for
each of the NCAA championships. Falcone was one of nine
participants in the race with a 4.0 GPA, but won the award by
having the most credit hours. She is majoring in Biology and is on
a pre-med track.
In the race, Falcone posted a time of 22:36.0 over the 6k
course. She was 164th at the halfway mark with a time of
11:24 and negative split the second half, covering the distance in
11:12.
Alicia Nelson of Adams State won the national championship with
a time of 20:03.3 with Grand Valley State taking the team
title.
Falcone was the first Tar to participate in the Division II
National Championship and the only Sunshine State Conference
Runner-of-the-Year in program history.
