June 10, 2006

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Providence College track All-American Mary Cullen (Sligo, Ireland) captured the 5,000-meter title at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship on Friday, June 9 in Sacramento, Calif. For Cullen, who was running in her final collegiate race, it marked the first time that she has won a NCAA individual title. It also marked the ninth time a PC female athlete won a NCAA individual championship.

Cullen becomes the first PC female athlete to win a NCAA title since 2004 when Kim Smith won the outdoor 5,000-meter championship. Cullen's time of 16:01.39 was over four seconds faster than Notre Dame's Molly Huddle who placed second. Cullen also earned her sixth All-America honor and her fourth in track. Her first-place finish also gave the PC team 10 points, which ranked the Friars tied for ninth overall after three days of competition.