March 6, 2001
The University of Notre Dame men’s indoor track and field team will be represented by senior Ryan Shay (Central Lake, Mich.) in the 5,000-meter run at the 2001 NCAA Indoor Championship in Fayetteville, Ark. The event is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, March 9.
Shay is the fourth-fastest qualifier in the field after winning the 5,000 meters at the Meyo Invitational in 13:52.66. He also won the 5,000-meter title at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships (Feb. 17). He is the first Irish runner to compete in the NCAA indoor 5,000 meter championship race since Mike O’Connor finished eighth in 1990.
This will be Shay’s first experience at the NCAA indoor meet, but the Irish All-American is a veteran of the NCAA outdoor meet. He has posted back-to-back seventh place finishes in the 10,000 meters at the 1999 and 2000 NCAA outdoor championships.
Shay is a BIG EAST cross country champion (1999) and has an All-American cross country finish (12th at the 1999 NCAA Championship) on his resume. He ended up sitting out the 2000 cross country season to recover from his training for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, where the Irish senior finished 10th in the 10,000 meters.
2001 NCAA Indoor Championship 5,000-meter run field:
1. David Kimani Alabama 13:35.212. Matthew Lane Wm. & Mary 13:47.483. Jonathan Riley Stanford 13:52.664. Ryan Shay Notre Dame 13:52.665. Louis Luchini Stanford 13:53.876. Keith Kelly Providence 13:54.097. David Baize Washington 13:58.538. Stephen Ondieki F. Dickinson 13:59.659. Ian Connor Ohio State 14:01.9210. Tom McArdle Dartmouth 14:03.5811. Emry Carr Idaho State 14:04.6612. Daniel Lincoln Arkansas 14:04.9213. Jared Cordes Wisconsin 14:05.0514. Mike Wisniewski Michigan 14:05.3315. Curtis Moore Southern Utah 14:07.2016. Murray Link Arkansas 14:07.29