June 11, 2009

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Nicol Traynor made her first career appearance in the NCAA National Championships Wednesday night, finishing 12th in her heat of the 5,000m. The sophomore is the fifth Spider all-time to qualify for the meet, and the first since Jessica Young in 2007.

After a nearly three-hour delay for lightning on the University of Arkansas campus, the gun sounded for Traynor's heat just prior to 1 a.m. ET and she maintained pace with the leaders early in the race.

But Traynor faded midway through the race and finished outside the place needed for a berth in Friday's final. Her time of 17:04.18 was good for 12th in the first of the two heats.

Oregon's Nicole Blood won the first heat (16:15.38), while Michigan State's Lisa Senakiewich took heat two and enters Friday's final with the top-seeded time of 16:13.69.

Traynor ran her season-best time of 16:17.64, which also stands as a school record, at the Mt. SAC Relays in April. She was clocked at 16:36.50 at the NCAA East Regional on May 29.