May 27, 2003

TCNJ'S RICCO WINS NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
5,000 METER CHAMPIONSHIP

WRAPS UP SENIOR SEASON BY EARNING ALL-AMERICAN HONORS IN
CROSS COUNTRY, INDOOR TRACK & FIELD AND OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

The College of New Jersey senior Nick Ricco won the NCAA Division III National Championship in the 5,000 meter run after posting a Merrick-Pinkard course record time of 14:23.47 to win the event and collect his first NCAA title in the process. Now a three-time All-American, Ricco completes his stellar athletic career having earned All-America citations in cross country, indoor track & field and now outdoor track & field. With his individual title, Ricco also becomes The College’s first-ever individual outdoor NCAA track champion. As a junior, Ricco finished in second place at the 2003 NCAA Indoor championships in the 5,000 meter run.

In other Lion action, TCNJ freshman Tiffany Clark finished the meet with a runner-up title in the 400 meter dash after posting a time of 55.15 in the finals. She is now an All-American in both indoor and outdoor track in her first collegiate season. The Lion women also finished in second place in the finals of the 4x400 relay and surpassed a school record time, which they had posted two days earlier in the trials. In the finals, the Lions posted a time of 3:46.58 behind the efforts of senior Irene Leidenfrost, freshman Brittny Boyd, freshman Kate Powell and Clark. All four team members earned All-America honors.

On the men's side in the finals of the 4x100 relay, the Lions posted a time of 41.69 to finish in eighth place nationally and earn All-America honors for their efforts. Running the relay for the Lions were sophomore Maurice Carter, freshman Stephen Andrews, senior Bob Dumas and senior Shawn Levinson.

The TCNJ men posted a 17^th place finish after scoring 14 points. Over the course of the meet, the Lion men produced six All-Americans and a national champion.

The TCNJ women finished in 11^th place for the meet and collected six All-Americans at the event.