May 30, 2001
Senior All-American Ryan Shay (Central Lake, Mich.) came through with the best 10,000-meter race of his illustrious Notre Dame career and won his first national individual title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., late Wednesday night. Shay’s time of 29:05.44 was over 20 seconds faster than second place finisher Murray Link from Arkansas.
Shay becomes the first Irish track and field athlete to win an NCAA individual title since Tom McMahon claimed the 55-meter indoor high hurdle title in 1972. The last outdoor individual champion was Aubrey Lewis in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1956 meet.
The Irish senior finished seventh in the 10,000 meters at both the 1999 and 2000 NCAA meet and also took 10th place in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials last summer. His work at this year’s meet is not over yet – he will compete in the 5,000 meter championship race on Saturday.
Combining the two All-America honors in the 10,000 the previous two years, an All-America honor in the indoor 5,000 meters this season, an All-American finish (12th) at the 1999 NCAA Cross Country Championship and his victory this evening gives Shay five All-America honors in his career.
The top five of the 2001 NCAA 10,000 Meters:
1. Ryan Shay, 29:05.44, Notre Dame
2. Murray Link, 29:25.75, Arkansas
3. Jason Hartmann, 29:28.97, Oregon
4. Christopher Mutai, 29:30.30, Alabama
5. Tom McArdle, 29:32.89, Dartmouth