June 1, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 1, 2005 PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Six Providence College track athletes have qualified for the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track Championship on June 8-11 at the Spanos Sports Complex in Sacramento, Calif. The six Friars will be the most Providence College track athletes to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championship since 1995 when Head Coach Ray Treacy had six Friars qualify for the Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. The six Friars who will be competing on June 8-11 are senior Deirdre Byrne (Wicklow, Ireland), junior Fiona Crombie (Christchurch, New Zealand), senior Mary Cullen (Sligo, Ireland), junior Martin Fagan (Mullingar, Irleand), senior Liam Reale (Hospital, Ireland) and freshman Max Smith (Dunedin, New Zealand).

Byrne will be running the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Championship. The trials will be held on Thursday, June 9 at 11:00 p.m. EST. Byrne qualified for the NCAA Championship by placing fifth in the 1,500 at the NCAA East Regionals in a time of 4:26.62 on May 28. It will mark her first trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championship.

Crombie also will be making her first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championship when she runs the 3,000 meter steeplechase trials on Wednesday, June 8 at 10:35 p.m. EST. Crombie placed fifth (10:16.96) in the steeplechase at the NCAA Regionals to qualify for the NCAA Championship.

Cullen had an impressive outdoor season, qualifying for the NCAA Championship in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Cullen will run the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championship on June 10 at 1:00 a.m. EST. She qualified for the NCAA Championship by finishing second in the 10,000 meters at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, Calif. Cullen ran a school-record time of 32:57.61 at Mt. Sac. She will not run the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Championship, but qualified by finishing second (15:49.69) at the NCAA East Regionals on May 27. Cullen, a three-time All-America selection, will be making her second appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championship. She did not compete during the outdoor season in 2004, but ran the 5,000 at the NCAA Championship in 2003 and placed fifth (15:56.96) and earned All-America honors.

Fagan will be running the 5,000 meter trials at the NCAA Championship on June 9 at 12:40 a.m. EST. He will be making his first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championship. He qualified for the NCAA Championship with a fifth-place finish (13:56.82) in the 5,000 at the NCAA East Regionals on May 27.

Smith and Reale each will run the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Championship. The men's 1,500 meter trials will be held on June 9 at 10:35 p.m. EST. Smith and Reale qualified at for the Championship at the NCAA East Regional on May 28. Smith finished fourth (3:49.54) and Reale placed fifth (3:49.74). Both runners will be making their first appearances at the NCAA Championship.

-end-