Bucknell University Athletics
Nordquist Wins Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week Honors
5/18/2009 8:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
May 18, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell track and field senior Gillian Nordquist (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) produced a massive personal-best and fifth-place performance in the 10,000-meter run at the ECAC Championships this past weekend in Princeton, N.J., and earned herself the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week Award. Following the final race of her stellar collegiate career, Nordquist earned the weekly award for the first time in her career.
Crossing the line in 36 minutes, 50.80 seconds, Nordquist produced the best time of her life by 39.89 seconds and the ninth-fastest time in Bucknell history. In her last competition, at the Patriot League Championships, Nordquist finished sixth overall with a time of 37:51.32. As the top Patriot League finisher in the 10,000, Nordquist beat every other competing Patriot League runner by at least over a minute; including the league winner, Colgate's Julianne Tarallo, by over a minute and a half.
"Gillian has been one of the most consistent runners I have ever coached," Bison head coach Kevin Donner said. "She is a great example of a student-athlete. She took both her academic career and her athletic career very seriously and to end her career as an All-East performer at ECAC's is a testament of all her hard work."
The recent Bucknell graduate and Clarkston, Mich., native graduated with majors in Spanish and English Creative Writing and a 3.89 GPA. Nordquist was a part of nine Patriot League Championship teams and finished her Bison career with personal bests of 4:55.03 in the 1,500, 10:21.37 in the 3,000, 17:53.91 in the 5,000 and her recent mark of 36:50.80 in the 10,000.
Bucknell will be back in competition May 29-30 at the NCAA East Regional Meet in Greensboro, N.C.
Gillian Norquist's 2009 outdoor season Breakdown
Maryland Invitational
11. 1,500 – 4:56.25
Colonial Relays
1. 10,000 – 37.30.69 (ECAC-qualifying mark)
Bucknell Team Challenge
1. 3,000 – 10:34.24
Patriot League Championships
11. 5,000 – 18:10.74 6. 10,000 – 37:51.32
ECAC Championships
5. 10,000 – 36:50.80
