All Three Bearcats Leave NCAAs with All-America Honors

All Three Bearcats Leave NCAAs with All-America HonorsAll Three Bearcats Leave NCAAs with All-America Honors

June 11, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa - University of Cincinnati juniors Eric Finan (New Richmond, Ohio/New Richmond) and Terrence Somerville (Akron, Ohio/Buchtel) earned All-America honors Saturday at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake University.

Finan placed 10th overall out of 24 student-athletes in the men's 5,000-meter race after recording a UC record mark of 13 minutes, 44.91 seconds. The previous UC record was 13:49.80, set by Finan April 23 at the Polytan Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.

Finan's mark was 15.61 seconds behind Liberty University senior Sam Chalenga, who placed first in the 5K with a mark of 13:29.30.

Somerville had a disappointing showing in the men's 110-meter hurdles after taking an early lead from lane No. 3. Texas Tech senior and top-seeded hurdler Omo Osaghae tripped over the second hurdle from lane No. 4 and fell into Somerville's lane after the third hurdle.

The traffic in Somerville's lane appeared to distract the Akron, Ohio native as he hit the ensuing two hurdles with his back leg before catching the sixth hurdle with his lead foot. With his timing now thrown off, Somerville crashed into the seventh hurdle with both hands and was disqualified. Louisiana State University junior Barrett Nugent won the race from lane No. 8 with a mark of 13.28 seconds.

All three of UC's participating athletes - junior Kathy Klump (Aurora, Ind./South Dearborn), who placed 12th in the women's 800-meter race Wednesday, Somerville and Finan - earned All-America honors this week.

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