Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Runner Takes Second At International Meet
March 09, 2009 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State freshman runner Ryan Prentice placed second at the 2009 North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Junior Cross Country Championships by running the 6,000-meter race in 18:01. His performance helped Team USA win the team title at the event held Saturday at the Chain of Lakes Park in Titusville, Fla.
Prentice missed a first-place finish by just six seconds, as fellow American and NC State freshman Ryan Hill won the event in 17:55. Team USA's Griffith Graves (fourth) and Eric Fernandez (fifth) also posted top-five finishes at the event to help lift the Americans to victory. Team USA scored 12 points over Canada's 24 points. Jamaica finished third with 54 points, with Puerto Rico fourth, scoring 64 points and the Bahamas fifth with 94 points.
Prentice ran in the lead pack all race and surged past Canada's Mohammed Ahmed in the final stretch to earn a runner-up finish by just one second ahead of Ahmed's third-place finish.
“Ryan has done a fantastic job of quietly, steadily improving since he arrived on campus and this was a big payoff for him,” Oklahoma State coach Dave Smith said. “We knew he was ready for this race as he lowered his PR in the 3000 meters twice this indoor season by a total of about 11 seconds. His performance is another great indicator of where the program is headed. This freshman class with Ryan, German Fernandez and Colby Lowe has done more for our program in this half year than many do over the course of four years.”
