Wilson Runs Well Under NAIA Best With Male Pacers In South Carolina

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Huntington University (Ind.) sophomore Emma Wilson made a sensational debut in the 10,000 meters Saturday at the Five and Dime Athletics Meeting at Ben Lippen School in Columbia, S.C. 

Wilson, who raced on an outdoor track for the first time since she was in high school, ran 32 minutes, 38.5 seconds while using two male pacers and Huntington teammates, Adrien Gentie and Elijah Chesterman. 

That's almost a full minute faster than the NAIA record for women in the 10,000 meters, which is 33:33.33 by Aminat Olowora of Oklahoma City University in 2019.

The race concluded a successful fall for Wilson, who transferred to the NAIA school after completing the 2019 cross country season for the University of Illinois.

Wilson placed second in the women's open race Nov. 15 at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions, presented by The Garrett Companies, in Terre Haute, Ind., then took first in all five events she raced indoors Nov. 19-20 at the Turnstone Classic in Fort Wayne.

Five races concluded the two-day meet in South Carolina. 

Shea Foster sat on Willy Fink through the late stages of the men's 10,000 meters and then blew by him coming off the final curve to win in 28:40.3. Fink was second in 28:42.3.

Meredith Rizzo of Tracksmith won the women's mile in 4:40.94. 

In the men's mile, Victor Palumbo of the Central Park Track Club/Tracksmith, cracked the four-minute barrier with a lifetime-best 3:58.79. 

Seventh-place finisher Reinhardt Harrison of Tinman Junior Elite, a junior at Nease High in Florida, ran 4:05.70.