Senior Poppy Tank had a stellar season by earning bids to compete in the NCAA Championships for Track and Field in the 5k and 10k event. She has become the sixth Ute in program history to qualify for the Championships. Over the weekend, Tank competed in the 10k event on June 10 and the 5k event on June 12. 

In the 10k event, Tank ran her lifetime best with a time of 32:50.57. This time was the program’s best time in its history along with Tank’s personal best. Tank finished in ninth place where she earned her second All-American honors. 

“Poppy ran another very smart and tough race,” said head coach Kyle Kepler. “I know she wanted to place higher, but I can’t envision asking more of an athlete than she gave tonight in an NCAA final. Fifteen athletes, including Poppy, ran lifetime best. That’s the kind of race it was. We are all incredibly proud of her.”

Tank finished her season career competing in the 5k event where she gained an All-American Honorable Mention at Hayward Field with her time of 16:15.88. Her time was 43 seconds faster than any Ute who has competed in the 5k event in the Championships. Tank finished up her Ute career with All-American honors in XC & 10k, an All-America Honorable Mention in the 5k event and First-Team All-Pac-12 Honors XC. 

With the conclusion of the NCAA National Championships, that officially wraps it up for the Track and Field season with lots of great things ahead for the athletes and the program as they look to the 2021-22 season.

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@DushEmily