Three Blue Hens Earn All-American Honors at NIRCA Nationals

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Despite spring break, the Blue Hens made the long trek out to Olivet College to compete in the NIRCA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The appearance at track nationals is the team’s first since the 2019 season.

The women were headlined by seniors Allison Einig and Kendra Cutler taking home All-American recognition in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Einig finished fourth with a time of 13:34.04, while Cutler followed closely behind. Cutler placed fifth and crossed the line with a time of 14:25.94. 

Einig and Cutler scored all of the nine total points for the women on the weekend.

On the men’s side, freshman Ryan Wallace received All-American honors after taking home second place in the 110-meter hurdles. Wallace finished in a time of 16.20 and now holds the second fastest outdoor 110 hurdle time in team history. He surpassed Andrew Villari’s 2013 NIRCA Nationals time of 16.40.

Multiple Blue Hens found success in the 5000-meter run for both the ladies and the fellas. The duo of Bailey Davin and Talia Brookstein-Burke both placed inside the top 20. Davin led the way finishing 10th with a time of 19:14.09. The time puts her fifth all-time on the team outdoor records list. Brookstein-Burke placed sixteenth in 19:37.07.

For the men, Alex Horgan continued his tear in the 5k. Horgan took home 10th place in the event with a time of 15:19.64. His time surpassed that of Brandon Quanci and puts him seventh all-time on the team in the event.

In the field events, jumpers Tyran Rice and Drew Huffer both placed in the top 20 nationally. Rice, a freshman, leaped his way to a mark of 5.60 meters in the long jump. Rice is the first long jumper to get on the outdoor all-time list since Matt Ward did so in 2019. Rice surpassed Ward’s mark of 5.58 meters and now sits sixth all-time.

Huffer left Michigan with a top 10 place after finishing ninth in the triple jump. Huffer finished with a mark of 11.30 meters.

The Hens will get the week off before traveling to West Chester University on April 16 to compete in the Bill Butler Invitational.