Ruck’s 5K School Record Tops National Ranks, Leads Clemson at Tyson Invitational on Day One

Feb. 12, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – Kim Ruck shattered the Clemson record in the women’s 5K on her way to an easy victory Friday to lead the Tiger track & field team at the prestigious Tyson Invitational, held at the University of Arkansas. Ruck’s time of 16:11.49 was just four seconds off an automatic NCAA qualifying time, and it broke a school record that had stood since 2000.

Clemson had student-athletes competing at two separate meets Friday, the Tyson Invite in Fayetteville, AR and the Tiger Paw Invitational at home. In total, four student-athletes tallied NCAA provisional times on Friday.

Ruck’s effort catapulted the impressive sophomore to the No. 1 time in the country in the 5K this season. The previous best run by any collegian this season prior to Friday’s meet was 16:19.14 by Reilly Kiernan of Princeton.

Kristine Scott was runner-up at Clemson in the women’s 60m dash, posting a time of 7.51 in the final. She was edged by just one hundredth of a second by a Coastal Carolina sprinter at the line. Stormy Kendrick (7.58) competed in the event at the Tyson meet. Justin Murdock was fifth in the men’s 60 final at Tyson, but his top time of the day was 6.74 in the preliminary round.

Multiple student-athletes competed in the quarter mile at the Tyson Invitational. La’Mont Jackson (49.69) was the top finisher in the men’s 400 Friday.

Brianna Rollins was fourth in the 60m hurdles final in Arkansas. She had a time of 8.23 in the prelims, but slowed (8.38) in the final. Michaylin Golladay was runner-up in the consolation final with a season-best time and NCAA provisional time of 8.33. Spencer Adams was eighth in the men’s final, while Charlton Rolle placed sixth in the consolation. Adams had a top time of 7.89 in the prelims, while Rolle clocked a 7.93 in the finals.

In the 60 hurdles at Clemson, Dailyn Moore was fifth in the final with a time of 8.14. Fellow freshman Claudio Delli Carpini was sixth (8.25).

The mile was a good event Friday for the Tigers at both locations. Alyssa Kulik won the mile run at Clemson’s indoor facility with a personal best time of 4:55.96. Her time ranks 10th-best in school history. Stephanie Buffo also had a personal best, clocking in at 5:00.96 and placing fourth overall. At Tyson, Chris Slate won his section and placed third overall in the men’s mile with a personal best of 4:13.29.

Josh Fowler won the long jump at Clemson, turning in a season-best effort of 23’7.25″. Patricia Mamona and April Sinkler struggled in the event at Arkansas. Mamona was 11th overall with a jump of 19’9″, while Sinkler placed 20th. Both will compete again Saturday in the triple jump.

Brittney Waller captured the women’s 20-pound weight throw at the Tiger Paw meet after producing a personal best in the event and the fourth-best mark in school history at 59’2″. She improved on her previous best with all six of her attempts and moved into third on the current ACC performance list.

Alex Padgett was runner-up in the men’s 35-pound weight throw at Clemson, but he also recorded a personal best on the evening. The Rock Hill, SC native hit a distance of 63’0″ and he remains third in school history in the event, behind only teammate and current record-holder Zach Berg and second-place Matt Helinski.

The teams return to action Saturday to conclude both meets. The Tiger Paw Invitational is slated to get underway at 12 PM.