Providence College Athletics
Wednesday, June 5
Austin, Texas
Providence College
vs
NCAA Championships
Track’s Ilarda, Paladino And Wheeler Ready For NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
6/5/2019 5:31:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
The Final Round of the NCAA Track & Field Championships begins on June 5 in Austin, Texas.
June 5, 2019
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College track and field team is set to compete in the final round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas on June 5-8. The Friars had three athletes qualify for the final round of the championships and will be competing in the women's 1,500 meters, 3,000 meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters. To qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championship finals competitors must place top-12 at the NCAA First Round.
Senior Millie Paladino (Morgantown, W. Va.) will race in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second time in her career. During the indoor season, Paladino was a BIG EAST Champion in the 3,000 meters (9:24.29) and qualified for the NCAA Championships in the mile. In the finals, Paladino ran a great race to finish third overall and earn First Team All-America Honors. Paladino was the highest mile finisher for the Friars at the NCAA Championships since 1994 when Amy Rudolph '94 took first in this event. She continued her success on the track throughout the outdoor season. She qualified for the NCAA First Round early in the season at the Stanford Invitational, where she placed third overall in a time of 4:16.82. Paladino won the 800 meters at the Ocean State Invitational (Apr. 12), running a personal best of 2:08.19. At the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships, Paladino was the runner-up in the 1,500 meters.
In the prelim of the NCAA First Round, Paladino automatically qualified for the final after winning her heat. Paladino would go on to place second in her final heat in a time of 4:15.85 and auto-qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Paladino's time marked the second fastest time of the day and was a season best.
Senior Brianna Ilarda (Perth, Australia) will compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase for the third time in her career. Ilarda is a three-time BIG EAST Champion and two-time All-American in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. During the indoor season, Ilarda ran a lifetime best in the 3,000 meters (9:08.71) and was a BIG EAST Champion in the 5,000 meters (16:47.80). Her success rolled into the outdoor season as she set personal bests in the mile (4:42.58) and steeplechase (9:50.42) and set two meet records. Ilarda has been undefeated thus far this season in each race she has competed in. She won the Black and Gold Challenge (Mar. 15), Stanford Invitational (Mar. 29), Ocean State Invitational (Apr. 12), 125thPenn Relays (Apr. 24), BIG EAST Championships (May. 10) and her prelim at the NCAA First Round. Ilarda qualified for the NCAA First Round early in the season at the Stanford Invitational, where she took the victory in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a time of 9:50.42, becoming the first Friar to win an event at the prestigious invitational.
Ilarda, the first overall seed in the East Preliminary Meet, won her heat in a time of 9:59.32, automatically qualifying her for the final round of the championships in Austin, Texas.
Junior Abbey Wheeler (Elmira, N.Y.) will race in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second time in her career. During the cross country season, Wheeler made a huge improvement from her sophomore year. She opened her season with a major individual win at the Coast-To-Coast Battle of Beantown (Sept. 21), becoming the second Friar to capture the title since Emily Sisson '14 in 2013. Wheeler placed fourth at the BIG EAST Championships and earned All-BIG EAST honors. She also earned NCAA Cross- Country Division I National Athlete of the Week, twice, during her 2018 campaign. After red-shirting the indoor season, Wheeler continued to improve on the track during the outdoor season. She opened up her outdoor season with a win at the Black and Gold Challenge (Mar. 16) in the 3,000 meters (9:39.38). At the Ocean State Invitational (Apr. 12), Wheeler placed third in the mile running a personal best of 4:46.96. Wheeler earned All-BIG EAST Honors at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships (May 11) after placing second in the 5,000 meters in a time of 16:11.87. The junior qualified for the NCAA First Round in the 5,000 meters at the 125thPenn Relays (Apr. 25) where she placed third in a time of 16:07.01.
With nine laps to go in her heat at the NCAA First Round, Wheeler was clipped, and her shoe fell off. She would continue running trying to hold her position in the top-seven. With 400 meters to go, Wheeler was in sixth place gearing up for one final surge to place in the top-five. Running a 70 second last lap, the fastest final lap of any competitor in the race, Wheeler edged out the fifth competitor to earn an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in a time of 16:19.32.
The preliminary heats of both the women's 1,500 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase will be on Thursday, June 6 with the 1,500 meters starting at 7:16 p.m. CT followed by the steeplechase at 7:32 p.m. CT. The finals of both events are set to take place on Saturday, June 8. The finals of the women's 5,000 meters will also take place on Saturday, June 8 at 7:25 p.m. CT. Live streams can be found on Watch ESPN, ESPN3 and Flotrack.
-GO FRIARS!-
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College track and field team is set to compete in the final round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas on June 5-8. The Friars had three athletes qualify for the final round of the championships and will be competing in the women's 1,500 meters, 3,000 meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters. To qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championship finals competitors must place top-12 at the NCAA First Round.
Senior Millie Paladino (Morgantown, W. Va.) will race in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second time in her career. During the indoor season, Paladino was a BIG EAST Champion in the 3,000 meters (9:24.29) and qualified for the NCAA Championships in the mile. In the finals, Paladino ran a great race to finish third overall and earn First Team All-America Honors. Paladino was the highest mile finisher for the Friars at the NCAA Championships since 1994 when Amy Rudolph '94 took first in this event. She continued her success on the track throughout the outdoor season. She qualified for the NCAA First Round early in the season at the Stanford Invitational, where she placed third overall in a time of 4:16.82. Paladino won the 800 meters at the Ocean State Invitational (Apr. 12), running a personal best of 2:08.19. At the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships, Paladino was the runner-up in the 1,500 meters.
In the prelim of the NCAA First Round, Paladino automatically qualified for the final after winning her heat. Paladino would go on to place second in her final heat in a time of 4:15.85 and auto-qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Paladino's time marked the second fastest time of the day and was a season best.
Senior Brianna Ilarda (Perth, Australia) will compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase for the third time in her career. Ilarda is a three-time BIG EAST Champion and two-time All-American in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. During the indoor season, Ilarda ran a lifetime best in the 3,000 meters (9:08.71) and was a BIG EAST Champion in the 5,000 meters (16:47.80). Her success rolled into the outdoor season as she set personal bests in the mile (4:42.58) and steeplechase (9:50.42) and set two meet records. Ilarda has been undefeated thus far this season in each race she has competed in. She won the Black and Gold Challenge (Mar. 15), Stanford Invitational (Mar. 29), Ocean State Invitational (Apr. 12), 125thPenn Relays (Apr. 24), BIG EAST Championships (May. 10) and her prelim at the NCAA First Round. Ilarda qualified for the NCAA First Round early in the season at the Stanford Invitational, where she took the victory in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a time of 9:50.42, becoming the first Friar to win an event at the prestigious invitational.
Ilarda, the first overall seed in the East Preliminary Meet, won her heat in a time of 9:59.32, automatically qualifying her for the final round of the championships in Austin, Texas.
Junior Abbey Wheeler (Elmira, N.Y.) will race in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second time in her career. During the cross country season, Wheeler made a huge improvement from her sophomore year. She opened her season with a major individual win at the Coast-To-Coast Battle of Beantown (Sept. 21), becoming the second Friar to capture the title since Emily Sisson '14 in 2013. Wheeler placed fourth at the BIG EAST Championships and earned All-BIG EAST honors. She also earned NCAA Cross- Country Division I National Athlete of the Week, twice, during her 2018 campaign. After red-shirting the indoor season, Wheeler continued to improve on the track during the outdoor season. She opened up her outdoor season with a win at the Black and Gold Challenge (Mar. 16) in the 3,000 meters (9:39.38). At the Ocean State Invitational (Apr. 12), Wheeler placed third in the mile running a personal best of 4:46.96. Wheeler earned All-BIG EAST Honors at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships (May 11) after placing second in the 5,000 meters in a time of 16:11.87. The junior qualified for the NCAA First Round in the 5,000 meters at the 125thPenn Relays (Apr. 25) where she placed third in a time of 16:07.01.
With nine laps to go in her heat at the NCAA First Round, Wheeler was clipped, and her shoe fell off. She would continue running trying to hold her position in the top-seven. With 400 meters to go, Wheeler was in sixth place gearing up for one final surge to place in the top-five. Running a 70 second last lap, the fastest final lap of any competitor in the race, Wheeler edged out the fifth competitor to earn an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in a time of 16:19.32.
The preliminary heats of both the women's 1,500 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase will be on Thursday, June 6 with the 1,500 meters starting at 7:16 p.m. CT followed by the steeplechase at 7:32 p.m. CT. The finals of both events are set to take place on Saturday, June 8. The finals of the women's 5,000 meters will also take place on Saturday, June 8 at 7:25 p.m. CT. Live streams can be found on Watch ESPN, ESPN3 and Flotrack.
-GO FRIARS!-
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/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and FieldOcean State Invitational
Friday, April 09
