Tank Closes Out Special Season at NCAA Outdoor Championships
EUGENE, Ore. – Utah track & field senior Poppy Tank closed out the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with the 5,000m race and clocked in with a time of 16:15.88 to garner All-America Honorable Mentions on Saturday at Hayward Field.
The courage, passion, and self confidence required to attempt, let alone Q for, the 10/5 double is unique and special. Every lap mattered bc it's all she knows. But better is the person she is. Special things ahead for this fearless young woman who I'll forever be proud of. https://t.co/wfljv0WgWo
— Kyle Kepler (@CoachKKepler) June 13, 2021
Tank's mark beat out the previous best time in the 5k for any Ute at the NCAA Championships by just over 43 seconds. The previous best mark was set by then Jill Molen, the only other Utah runner to compete in the 5k at the championships with a time of 16:49.17 in 1982 - the inaugural year of the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the women's side.
Her time of 16:15.88 in the 5k was the third-fastest time this spring for Utah. The Plymouth, Devon, England, product also owned the other top-two times this year for the Utes.
Tank wrapped up her incredible season with a pair of All-America honors (XC & 10k), an All-America Honorable Mention (5k) and First-Team All-Pac-12 honors (XC). She also broke her own 10k school record at the NCAA Championships two days prior and ran the second-fastest time in the 5k at Utah. In addition, Tank was just the second runner in school history to compete in multiple events at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
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