|
3/4/2006 South Bend, Ind. — Vanderbilt junior Amy Huss eclipsed the Commodores’ oldest indoor track record Saturday in a career-best performance at the University of Notre Dame. Huss, the team’s top distance runner this winter, broke her own personal best in the 3,000 meters by more than six seconds, running the distance in 9:40.43. Huss narrowly missed the provisional qualifier for the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships with the performance. The effort eliminated one of two indoor records held by Beth Tallent, one of the best and most popular distance runners in Commodore women’s history. Tallent, who resides in Nashville and coaches at Christ Presbyterian Academy in the area, set the previous team mark of 9:41.9 in 1991. The performances a remarkable winter for Huss, a native of Wyomissing, Pa. Slowed by injuries last year, Huss followed a productive cross country campaign with five consecutive career performances at the 3,000-meter distance which is just short of two miles. Huss opened the indoor season with a personal best at the Kentucky Invitational, then lowered her time the following week at East Tennessee State. In early February, she dropped her best in the 3,000 under 10:00 for the first time, running 9:50.16 at the ultra-competitive Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. Huss needed a fourth personal best to score points for the Commodores at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships. Improving by nearly four seconds, Huss ran 9:46.58 to finish eighth overall at the SEC meet. The record-breaking performance by Huss leaves Tallent with one Commodore indoor record left from an career that ended with all-America recognition in 1994. Tallent’s remaining indoor team mark — the mile in 4:47.29 — was set in 1994. Tallent also continues to own the Vanderbilt outdoor 3,000-meter record of 9:29.10, also established in 1994. |
