April 5, 2011
Official BIG EAST Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Senior Ali Smith (Columbia, Md.) was named the BIG EAST Female Track Athlete of the Week, it was announced by the conference this afternoon. Smith is coming off a fantastic performance in the Colonial Relays last Friday, when she set a meet and venue record in the 3000 meter steeplechase.
Smith helped lead Villanova to the team championship at the 46th Colonial Relays over the weekend at William & Mary, where she won the 3000 meter steeplechase with a personal best time of 10:24.52. That mark shattered by more than 10 seconds the Zable Stadium and Colonial Relays record which she herself set a year ago.
The time of 10:24.52 currently ranks as the eighth fastest time in the country and the best mark to this point in the season in the BIG EAST Conference. Smith's previous personal best in the event was 10:26.29 and was established at last year's BIG EAST Championships, where she produced an All-BIG EAST performance. When Smith set the previous venue record at Zable Stadium last April, she was running the steeplechase for the first time in collegiate competition and had a time of 10:34.34.
Villanova will next run in the George Mason Spring Invite this coming Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
