FAYETTEVILLE, AR – Iona College women’s track graduate student Rosie Clarke finished fourth in the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Women’s Mile Championship at Randal Tyson Track Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas. Clarke finished the event in a school record and personal best time of 4:31.75.
Clarke finished four and a half seconds behind the event winner, Michigan State senior Leah O’Connor. Arizona State senior Shelby Houlihan was second (4:28.71) while Florida State senior Colleen Quigley was third (4:31.24). Clarke’s late push in the final lap pushed her past North Dakota State junior Erin Teschuk (4:32.35) and came up just shy of passing Quigley as well. Her time of 32.89 in the last lap was second to O’Connor.
It was the fourth time this winter Clarke lowered the school record. She first accomplished the feat on Jan. 23 at the Metro Team Challenge finishing in 4:37.82. A week later in Boston, Clarke finished in 4:35.01. Her fastest mile prior to Saturday night was at the 108th Millrose Games, a 4:31.78.
Friday night, Clarke qualified for the final with a preliminary time of 4:37.52. She was third overall in her heat and held the seventh fastest time heading into Saturday’s championship event.
Clarke earned her first NCAA All-America honors with the finish. She was 60th at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championship in November.