SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga distance runner Shannon Wommack ran a school-record pace in the 3000m steeplechase to earn her third All-America honor with a fifth place finish at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships Friday night in Sacramento, Calif.

Wommack had the chance to finish first or second in the race, but a misstep in the water pit dropped her to the back of the pack.

"She fell!" UTC head coach Bill Gautier said. "But she took her time and worked her way back up. She had about three laps to go."

Wommack shaved 1.50 seconds off her school record time to finish at 10:07.14 in the 14-person race.

"I thought she was going to win," Gautier said. "She's all bruised up, but she got to stand on the podium and she's All-American."

The Conyers, Ga., junior finished ahead of runners from Providence, Marquette and North Carolina, but was more than 12 seconds off the top time 9:54.32 run by Butler's Victoria Mitchell.

The physical therapy student won the Southern Conference title in the event last month for the third time and holds the league record at 10:34.

Wommack earned All-America status at the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Track Nationals in the 5000m and was named All-America in cross country last fall along with teammate Kathleen Turchin.

While excelling on the track, she also is a top student. She was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team along with teammate Ian Mayne earlier this month. The pair are now on the ballot for Academic All-America.

Turchin, a sophomore out of Sugar Hill, Ga., will compete in the women's 5000m Saturday nigth at 8:10 Pacific Time.
Anne Wehunt
Sports Information Assistant
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
McKenzie Arena, Room 132
423-425-2122
423-425-4610 fax
423-505-2353 cell