Regan Rome became the first William & Mary runner ever to earn All-American status at three different distances with her performance during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon June 8-10.

The junior from Dallas made first-team All-American by placing sixth in the 10,000-meter run, then followed it up by landing an honorable mention All-American recognition when she placed 21st at 5,000 meters.

Rome’s sixth-place finish in the 10,000 was her career-best on the national level collegiately. Rome ran in fifth place through parts of the middle of the race, dropped to seventh, then regained one position on the final lap to finish in 33:06.03, more than 30 seconds better than her previous fastest time.

Competing in the 5,000 less than 48 hours later, Rome made a brief surge into the top 10 midway through the race, but finished 21st, after coming in as the 22th seed in the 24-runner field.

Rome, who has also earned All-American status in cross country and indoor track, was the last William & Mary athlete competing in this academic year.

She was also the last of the Back Mountain graduates competing this spring. Among the others from the Back Mountain:

Gabrielle Alguire, a senior from Tunkhannock, became the first Susquehanna University track and field athlete to earn four All-American awards in the same event when the javelin thrower finished fourth at the NCAA Division III Championships in Geneva, Ohio.

Alguire’s throw of 43.78 meters (143-8) in her final attempt bumped her up one spot from fifth. She was seventh as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore and second as a junior.

“She is a one-of-a-kind athlete,” Susquehanna coach Marty Owens said, according to a story on the school’s website.

Alguire, an accounting major, is a four-team national scholar-athlete award winner.

MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Cornell University junior Dominic DeLuca finished second in the Ivy League in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:16.46, but the former state cross country champion from Dallas fell short of reaching nationals when he finished 44th at the NCAA East Regional.

Tunkhannock graduate Josh Colley wrapped up his career at Widener University with an appearance at NCAA Division III nationals, but did not record a mark in the competition.

During his career, Colley won five individual Middle Atlantic Conference titles while helping Widener sweep the conference indoor and outdoor championships all four seasons. His jump of 23-9 ½ at the 2015 MAC Indoor Championships is a school record.

BASEBALL

Tunkhannock graduate Josh McClain was named Outstanding Player of the NCAA Division II Tournament after leading West Chester University to the national championship.

McClain pitched the final four innings when West Chester finished off the University of California-San Diego, 5-2, June 4 in Grand Prairie, Texas.

McClain allowed only one inherited runner to score when he took over in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and none out. That run tied the game and McClain was the winning pitcher after allowing just one hit and striking out three.

During the four-game national tournament, McClain pitched every game, picking up two wins and saving another. He gave up five hits and six walks while striking out seven and posting a 1.86 earned run average in 9 2/3 tournament innings.

The national championship game win was a school record-tying 11th of the season for McClain. The 6-foot-4 senior right-hander went 11-2 with 10 saves and a 2.77 ERA.

Two Dallas graduates led their Division I pitching staffs in wins.

Jordan McCrum, a sophomore, went 4-3 with a 5.04 ERA in 11 games, including 10 starts at Monmouth University. He struck out 46 in 55 1/3 innings.

Brian Stepniak wrapped up his college career by sharing the team lead in wins at Hartford University where he went 3-4 with a 5.61 ERA in 15 games, including nine starts.

SOFTBALL

Dallas resident Chelsea Skrepenak, who played in high school at Holy Redeemer and Holy Cross, batted .240 in 57 games as a sophomore outfielder at Fordham University, which went 46-17 and reached the NCAA Division I tournament.

Dallas High School graduate Regan Rome became the first William & Mary runner ever to earn All-American status at three different distances.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_Rome.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas High School graduate Regan Rome became the first William & Mary runner ever to earn All-American status at three different distances. Submitted photo

By TOM ROBINSON

For Dallas Post

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