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Higginson Takes Sixth in Steeplechase Championship
June 11, 2011 | Women's Track and Field
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DES MOINES, IOWA (6/11/11) - In the final event for the Princeton women's track & field team, senior Ashley Higginson finished in sixth place in the steeplechase final on Saturday, June 11 at Drake University at the 2011 NCAA Track & Field Championships.
Higginson ran 10:03.15 to finish in sixth place. She ran the semifinal on Thursday at 10:03.63, erasing 10.54 seconds off that time in today's final.
She was in fourth after the first lap at 42.24, but slipped back to fifth after lap two with a clock time of 1:59.40. She would take sixth in lap three with a clock time of 3:17.90 and stayed in that position for the remainder of the race, with lap times of 1:22.11, 1:22.43, 1:22.49 and 1:17.93 in each of the last four laps.
Colorado's Emma Coburn won the event at 9:41.14, followed by Virginia's Stephanie Garcia at 9:47.29 and Colorado's Shalaya Kipp in third at 9:56.37. Coburn had the lead the entire race. She and Garcia would pull away from the pack midway through the race, expanding on their lead from six seconds ahead in lap 5, nine seconds in lap 6, 14 seconds in lap 7 and 11 seconds in the final lap.
A year ago, senior Bridget Franek of Penn State won at 9:38.86. Coburn was second at 9:51.86 and Higginson third at 9:52.73. Franek ran most of the race solo and was 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the pack with an NCAA record. Coburn and Higginson raced to the finish with Coburn edging Higginson for second place at the finish line.
Higginson's holds the Princeton record in the steeplechase with her PR of 9:52.73. She ran the steeplechase just twice this season prior to this week's NCAA Championship. She ran a winning time at Heps of 10:19.74 and 10:00.07 at the NCAA East Regional.
Higginson concludes her Princeton career with eight individual Ivy League titles, nine Ivy League team titles. She competed in seven NCAA Championships, earned two All-America honors and holds two Princeton records.