Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
NCAA National Championships
Laura Rycek Caps Off Career with 23rd Place in Javelin at NCAA Championships
6/9/2011 8:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
June 9, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa - Competing in the last meet of her career, Bucknell's Laura Rycek (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) placed 23rd in the javelin at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium on Thursday evening. Rycek earned All-America Honorable Mention accolades with her throw of 139 feet, 2 inches.
Rycek maintained her No. 23 seed in a field that was dominated by schools from the West Region. Only one thrower out of the East - Ana Ruzevic of Tulane, who ultimately finished fourth - was among the nine competitors to advance to Thursday's final round. Rycek's 139-2 came on her second attempt of the meet and was a 10-foot improvement over her opening throw.
With her appearance in Des Moines, Rycek became just the third Bison to compete in the NCAA Championships. She joins Melanie Buczko (pole vault) and Maria Garcia (hammer throw), who both qualified in 2004. By being named a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Honorable Mention All-American, Rycek also became the second Bison all-time and the first since Lonnie Fertik in 1982 to earn All-America honors of any kind.
Rycek's performance in the NCAA Championships capped off a strong senior season in which she set the Bucknell program record (158-7) and won the Patriot League title for the first time in her career.
Claiming the national title was junior Brittany Borman of Oklahoma, who finished with a throw of 178-2 on her fourth attempt. Stanford's Eda Karesin and top-seeded Marissa Tschida of Washington State took second and third, respectively.
