Outdoor Track action kicks off June 2.
June 2, 1999
LEADING THE WAY: Even though Wildcat head track & field coach Marcus O'Sullivan is coaching in his first NCAA Outdoor National Championship, he is no stranger to the meet. As a runner at Villanova in 1984, O'Sullivan finished second in the 1,500 meter run at the Outdoor National Championships in a time of 3:37.41. O'Sullivan has started his coaching career off in fine fashion. This past fall, O'Sullivan led the Villanova women to both the NCAA National Championship and Big East Conference title. For his efforts, O'Sullivan was named the USTCA National Cross Country Coach of the Year and he and his assistants were cited as the Big East Cross Country Staff of the Year. During the 1999 indoor season, O'Sullivan guided three Wildcat women to All-American accolades including Carrie Tollefson who captured the 3,000 meter National Championship.
MIRACULOUS COMEBACK: The fact that Carrie Tollefson is even running in this year's NCAA Outdoor Championships is amazing in itself. A few weeks after winning the individual title at the 1997 NCAA Cross Country Championships, doctors found a benign tumor that caused a hole to surface in Tollefson's heel. When the hole continued to get larger, Tollefson underwent surgery to repair the problem. On Feb. 2, 1998, doctors grafted a bone from a cadaver to repair the damage to Tollefson's heel. Following surgery, the Dawson, Minn. native was on crutches for six weeks and then had her foot placed in a walking boot for a month. After an extensive rehabilitation process, Tollefson competed for the first time on Oct. 30, 1998 at the Big East Championships at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass, where she placed fourth overall and was Villanova's top finisher. A week later, she won the NCAA Region II meet. Tollefson culminated her comeback on Nov. 23, 1998 when she led Villanova to its seventh NCAA Cross Country title in the last 10 years with an 11th place finish. Tollefson has continued her comeback all season long. At the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships in Indianapolis, Ind., she captured her first track national title by winning the 3,000 meters in a time of 9:15.05. At this week's outdoor meet in Boise, Idaho, Tollefson will double and run both the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs.
4-FOR-4: Villanova sophomore hurdler Charmaine Walker will be making her fourth appearance in an NCAA Championship meet. As a freshman in 1997-98, Walker earned All-American distinction at the NCAA indoor meet by placing 7th in the 55m hurdles. At last year's NCAA outdoor meet, Walker qualified in the 100m hurdles and ran 13.96 in the trials but failed to qualify for the finals. This past winter at the 1999 indoor meet, she garnered All-American honors for the second time in her career by finishing sixth in the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.24. Thus far this season, Walker's best time during the outdoor season in the 100m hurdles came at the ECAC meet during the trials when she ran 13.28.
DEFENDING CHAMPION: After suffering from a leg injury that kept her sidelined for most of the indoor season, Wildcat junior Carmen Douma has qualified for the 1,500 meter run at the 1999 Outdoor Championships. Last year as a sophomore, Douma won the NCAA outdoor 1,500 meter title in a personal best time of 4:16.04. Douma also captured the 1,500 meter indoor crown in 1998. Entering this week's Championships, her best time this season is 4:19.69 which she ran at the JMU Invitational on May 15, 1999.
FIRST TIME: Junior Kristen Nicolini will be making her first NCAA Championship appearance as an individual at this week's outdoor meet when she competes in the 3,000 meter run. Nicolini's best time of the year in the event is 9:29.99, which was good enough to place her second at the ECAC outdoor meet on May 22. Last season at the 1998 indoor meet, Nicolini ran a leg on Villanova's DMR team that placed 10th in a time of 11:35.25. Currently a junior, Nicolini is in her second season at Villanova after transferring from Auburn University.
ALL-AMERICAN HONORS: The four Villanova runners who will compete at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Boise, Idaho have combined to earn 16 All-American honors in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country. Carrie Tollefson leads the way with eight All-American accolades, followed by Carmen Douma with five Charmaine Walker with two and Kristen Nicolini with one.
Order of Events
Wednesday, June 2
Thursday, June 3
Saturday, June 5 O'Sullivan arrives at Villanova with some lofty credentials. At the prestigious Millrose Games held at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 13, 1998, O'Sullivan ran a sub-4:00 mile for the 100th time in his illustrious career, becoming just the third runner in history to accomplish this feat. With 101 sub-4:00 miles to his credit, O'Sullivan ranks third all-time behind Steve Scott and John Walker. Just this past fall, O'Sullivan started his coaching career in fine fashion as he led the Villanova women to the 1998 NCAA Cross Country National Championship. In addition, he guided the women's squad to the Big East title. For his efforts, O'Sullivan was named USTCA National Women's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year and he and his assistants were named Big East Conference Women's Cross Country Staff of the Year. Running under the guidance of the legendary Jumbo Elliott for one season and Charlie Jenkins for three years, O'Sullivan established himself as one of Villanova's all-time great performers garnering four varsity letters each in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. Throughout his Main Line running career, O'Sullivan captured one NCAA indoor title, 10 Big East Conference indoor and outdoor titles, two IC4A indoor championships and six Penn Relay Carnival Championship of America watches. His NCAA indoor title came in 1983 when he ran the third leg on Villanova's Two Mile Relay which set a national collegiate and NCAA indoor meet record of 7:32.28. During the 1984 NCAA Outdoor Championships, he tallied a second place finish in the 1500 meters in a time of 3:37.41. At the IC4A Championships, O'Sullivan turned in some of his best collegiate performances. In 1983 and 1984, he recorded back-to-back titles in the indoor mile in times of 4:00.98 and 4:03.85 respectively. Also, in 1984, he claimed a second place finish in the IC4A Outdoor 1500m with a time of 3:40.83. In Big East Conference Championships, O'Sullivan posted five first place finishes including the 1981 indoor 1500 meters, both the 1983 cross country crown and indoor 1500 meters and the indoor 1500 meters and outdoor 5000 meters in 1984. He also registered two second place finishes during the 1982 season in both the indoor 800 meters and the outdoor 1500 meters. At the 1981 Big East Conference Indoor Championships, O'Sullivan was named the meet's Most Outstanding Freshman Performer. O'Sullivan also made his mark at the famous Penn Relay Carnival where he earned six Championship of America watches during his career. His shining moment at the Penn Relays came in 1984 when he ran a relay record 1500 meter split of 3:38.7 during the anchor leg of Villanova's 6000 meter relay squad that finished first in a national collegiate and meet record time of 14:52.81. In 1982, he ran the leadoff leg on the Wildcats' 3200 meter relay that finished first in a national collegiate and meet record 7:12.29. Upon graduation from Villanova, O'Sullivan went on to enjoy an outstanding international career that included appearances in four Olympic Games for his native country of Ireland. He competed in the 800m and 1500m in Los Angeles in 1984, was a finalist in the 1500m in Seoul in 1988 and raced in the 1500m at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. His career highlights include three World Indoor Championships in the 1500m in 1987, 1989 and 1993, as well as a world record in the indoor 1500m (3:35.4) in 1989. This 1500m time, along with his best indoor mile of 3:50.9, remain among the five-best performances ever in those events indoors. O'Sullivan graduated from Villanova in 1984 with a degree in accounting and went on to earn his MBA from Villanova in 1989. After passing the CPA exam, O'Sullivan served as a part-time faculty member of the Villanova Marketing Department from 1992-93. O'Sullivan's wife, the former Mary Spinks, earned a nursing degree from Villanova in 1986. The couple has two children, Laura (10), and Christopher (7).
Carmen DoumaVILLANOVA: Defending 1,500 meter National Champion...Will run in the 1,500 meters at the 1999 NCAA outdoor Championships in Boise, Idaho...Returning to top form after suffering from an injured leg during most of the indoor season...JUNIOR (1998-99): Earned All-American honors at the 1998 NCAA cross country championships by finishing 21st in a time of 17:26.66...Missed the majority of the indoor season due to a leg injury...Registered a second place finish in the 1,500 meter run (4:27.4) at the Big East Outdoor meet and she was 7th at the meet in the 800 meters in 2:09.60...Won the 1,500 meter run at the JMU Inv. in a clocking of 4:19.69...Finished 5th at the ECAC outdoor meet in the 800 meters in a time of 2:07.26. SOPHOMORE (1997-98): Recorded one of the most outstanding sophomore campaigns in Villanova history ... Double National Champion in the indoor mile and outdoor 1500m ... Captured the NCAA crown in the outdoor 1500m in a personal-best time of 4:16.04 ... Earned Big East outdoor champion honors in the 1500m as well (4:20.97) and finished second in the 800m in a personal-best 2:06.31 ... ECAC outdoor 1500m champion (4:18.94) ... Ran on three relays at Penn Relay Carnival, finishing third in the 3200m relay and 6000m relay and second in the DMR ... Split 4:35.5 on her 1600m leg of the DMR, nearly catching the leader at the wire...Won the NCAA Indoor National Championship in the mile in a time of 4:37.74 ... ECAC Indoor Champion in the mile in a personal-best 4:37.36 ... Big East Champion in the 1000m (2:48.22) and anchored the league champion DMR (11:28.67) and 3200m relay squads (9:00.76) ... Placed third in the mile at the Big East indoor meet (4:47.98) ... Outstanding cross country season, improving from 44th at the 1996 NCAA Championships to sixth at the 1997 NCAA Championships (16:50) ... Big East and NCAA Regional runner-up in cross country in 1997...FRESHMAN (1996-97): Ran on the Big East Outdoor Champion 4x800m relay team ... Placed ninth at the Big East Outdoor Championships in the 1500m and qualified for the ECAC Outdoor Championships in the event ...Ran legs on the winning 4x1500m and 4x800m relay teams at the Penn Relays ... Earned All-America honors as a member of the Wildcat DMR team that placed seventh at the NCAA Indoor Championships ... Ran the 1200m leg of the race and split 3:29.8 ... Finished seventh in the preliminaries of the mile at the NCAA Indoor meet (4:58.22) ... Recorded four top 10 finishes throughout the cross country season, including a fourth-place run at the ECAC Championships...Finished 44th at the NCAA Championships, running the 5,000-meter course in 18:31 ... Finished seventh at the Iona Invitational and Walt Disney Classic, 23rd at the Pre-NCAA meet, and eighth at the Big East meet....WOODLAND CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL: Posted a time of 2:09 in the 800m at the 1996 OFFSAA Championships and 4:26 in the 1500m at the 1996 OFTA Championships ... Finished fourth at the Canadian Cross Country Junior Nationals in 1995 ... Placed 76th at the 1995 Junior World Cross Country Championships in South Africa ... Runner-up in the 800m at the 1995 Canadian Nationals ... Won the 800m at the 1996 Canadian Nationals... Finished fourth in the 800m at the Pam Am Games ... Was a two-time 800m and 1500m champion at the OFSAA Championships ... PERSONAL: Biology Education major ... One of six children of Martin and Agnes Douma ... Born 3/12/77 in Cambridge, Ontario.
Carmen Douma - 1999 Outdoor Results
Outdoor Career-Best Performances
DOUMA in the Major Championships
ECAC FINISHES:
1999 5th outdoor 800m
1998 1st indoor Mile
1st outdoor 1500m
1997 4th cross country
15th (h) outdoor 1500m
3rd (h) outdoor 4x800m
Relay
NCAA FINISHES:
1999 21st cross country
1998 6th cross country
1st indoor Mile
1st outdoor 1500m
1997 7th indoor DMR
7th (h) indoor mile
1996 44th cross country
Kristen NicoliniVILLANOVA: Making first NCAA Championship individual appearance...Will compete in the 3,000 meters at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Championships...Transferred to Villanova from Auburn University in 1998 and became eligible during the indoor season. JUNIOR (1998-99): Finished third in both the 1,500 meters (4:30.99) and 3,000 meters (9:29.94) at the Big East outdoor championships...Tallied a second place effort at the ECAC outdoor meet in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 9:29.99...Ran 4:26.77 in the 1,500 meters to finish 10th at the Duke Invitational...Placed 6th at the Big East indoor meet in the 3,000 meters with a time of 9:38.05...Earned All-American honors and helped Villanova to the 1998 NCAA cross country National Championship by placing 16th in a time of 17:21.39. SOPHOMORE (1997-98): Competed in seven indoor meets ... NCAA qualifier as a member of the DMR squad that placed 10th at the national meet (11:35.25) ... Two-time Big East indoor champion in the DMR (11:28.67) and the 3200m relay (9:00.76) ... Placed third in the mile at ECACs (4:50.04), her fastest run in the event all season ...Fifth in the 1000m (2:54.17) at Big East Indoors and ran on the league Champion 3200m relay (9:00.76) and DMR (11:28.67) ... Won the mile at Greater Boston (4:58.07) ... Ran in seven outdoor meets in 1998 ... Placed sixth at the ECAC Outdoors in the 3000m (9:42.27) ... Finished fifth in the 3000m (9:38.53) and sixth in the 5000m (17:04.37) at Big East Outdoors ... Ran on two relays at Penn (3200m, 6000m) ... Fastest time in the 3000m came at the Florida Relays, with a mark of 9:38.41 for third place ... Best 1500m time was 4:30.30, at Miami Gatorade Invitational (fourth place) ... AUBURN UNIVERSITY: Competed in cross country and indoor track as a freshman and outdoor track as a sophomore before being hampered by a left foot injury ... ANNAPOLIS HIGH SCHOOL: Was named Gatorade Circle of Champions Athlete of the Year (1995) for the southern region ... Was a five-time high school All-American ... PERSONAL: Elementary Education major ... Middle of three children of Peter and Sandra Nicolini.
Kristen Nicolini - 1999 OUTDOOR results
NICOLINI IN THE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
BIG EAST FINISHES:
1999 3rd outdoor 1500m
3rd outdoor 3,000m
6th indoor 3,000m
1998 5th indoor 1000m
1st indoor DMR
1st indoor 3200m Relay
5th outdoor 3000m
6th outdoor 5000m
3rd outdoor 3200m Relay
ECAC FINISHES:
1999 2nd outdoor 3,000m
1998 3rd indoor mile
6th outdoor 3000m
Carrie TollefsonSENIOR (1998-99): Will double at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Championships by running both the 3000m and 5000m races...On May 23, Tollefson won the ECAC title in the 1500m run with a time of 4:19.84...Was a double winner at the 1999 Big East Outdoor Track Championships, winning the 3000m run in an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 9:17.86 and the 5000m run in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 16:18.43... Captured the 3000m at the NCAA Indoor National Championships on March 6 in Indianapolis, Ind. in a time of 9:15.05...Took second place at the Big East Indoor Championships in the Mile with a time of 4:46.05...Her time of 9:35.37 in the 5000m at the Big East Indoor gave her third place...Finished 11th (17:16.87) at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on 11/23/98 for the National Champion Wildcats to earn All-American honors...JUNIOR (1997-98): Redshirted 1998 indoor and outdoor track seasons due to injury to her heel ... Captured the individual national championship in cross country in a course-record time of 16:29 ... Honda Award winner for cross country ... Won six individual cross country titles in 1997, including the Big East Conference crown (16:54) and NCAA Regional title (18:02.60) ... Set a course record at Penn State, winning the individual title of the meet in 17:06 ... Second at the Pre-NCAA Meet (16:54) and won Iona individual title (16:54.4) ... SOPHOMORE (1996-97): Placed sixth in the 1500m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 1997 to earn All-America honors ... Ran a time of 4:18.02 in the final and 4:18.36 to win her preliminary heat ... Captured ECAC individual championship in the 1500m with a personal-best 4:17.53, the fastest time by a Wildcat all season in the event and an NCAA automatic-qualifying time ... Ran three events at the Big East Outdoor Championships, placing second in the 1500m (4:20.16), second in the 5000m (16:34.64) and third in the 3000m (9:28.78) ... Member of the Championship of America 4x1500m relay squad at the Penn Relay Carnival ... Won the 3000m at the Villanova Invitational (9:27.59) and at the Tar Heel Invitational in 9:22.14 ... Captured All-America honors in the 3000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a fifth-place run of 9:22.24 ... Big East Indoor Champion in the 3000m, winning the race in 9:28.42 ... Placed second in the Big East indoor 5000m with a run of 16:34.38 ... Placed fifth at the NCAA Championships in 17:43, earning All-America honors ... FRESHMAN (1995-96): Fourth in the 3000m in 9:37.78, fifth in the mile in 4:49.67 and ran a leg of the winning DMR at the Big East Indoor Championships ... Finished 11th in the finals of the 3000m in 9:38.33 after running a then personal-best 9:27.74 in the trials at the NCAA Indoor Championships s ... Ran 4:29.48 to finish 10th in the trials of the 1500m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships ... Won the Mile in a personal-best 4:49.26 at the Greater Boston Open ... Was the Nike Invitational Mile champion with a time of 4:50.44 ... Finished in the No.2 position twice, placing seventh at the NCAA Championships and fifth at the Iowa State Cross Country Classic ... Dawson-Boyd High School: A four-time Minnesota state champion in the 3200m and 1600m ... A 13-time Minnesota state individual champion, including a national record five state cross country titles ... Three-time qualifier for the Foot Locker National High School Cross Country Championships, finishing as high as fifth in 1993 ... Was a member of the 1995 United States Junior Track & Field team ...PERSONAL: Communications major ... Youngest of three children of John and Ginger Tollefson ... Born 1/18/77 in Dawson, Minn.
Carrie Tollefson - 1999 Outdoor Results
Outdoor Career-Best Performances
Tollefson in the Major Championships
ECAC FINISHES:
1999 1st outdoor 1500m
1997 1st outdoor 1500m
3rd outdoor 4x800m Relay
1996 3rd indoor DMR
9th outdoor 1500m
NCAA FINISHES:
1999 1st indoor 3000m
1998 11th cross country
1997 1st cross country
5th indoor 3000m
6th outdoor 1500m
1996 5th cross country
11th indoor 3000m
10th (t) outdoor 1500m
1995 7th cross country
Charmaine WalkerVILLANOVA: Will compete in the 100m hurdles at NCAA Championships...Making her second straight appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships...As a freshman last year at the outdoor championships, Walker ran 13.96 in the trials in the 100m hurdles... SOPHOMORE (1998-99): Earned All-American honors for the second time in her career by finishing 6th at the NCAA indoor meet in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.24... Finished second in the 60m hurdles at the Big East Indoor Championships with a time of 8.17...Tallied second place at the ECAC outdoor meet in the 100 hurdles in a time of 13.39...Best time of the ECAC's came inthe heats with a time of 13.28...Placed second in the 100m hurdles at the Big East Outdoor meet with a time of 13.47. FRESHMAN (1997-98): Competed in eight outdoor meets in 1998 ... Qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100m hurdles and ran 13.96 in trials ... Big East Outdoor Champion in the 100m hurdles (13.39) ... ECAC Outdoor Champion in the same event (13.36) ... Personal-best 13.15 run at Penn, finishing third overall ... Finished second in the 100m hurdles at Miami Gatorade Invitational (13.81) and 21st in the 200m (25.18) ... Third in 100m hurdles at UTEP (13.52) ... Competed twice during the indoor season ... Placed seventh at the NCAA Championships in the 55m high hurdles (7.72)...Ran a personal-best 7.63 in the event in trials...Big East Indoor Champion in the 55m high hurdles (7.66) ... PLAINFIELD HIGH SCHOOL: Undefeated as a senior both indoors and outdoors...100m H champion at the NJ Meet of Champions, the Golden West Invitational, National Junior Championships, and the Junior Pan Am Games in 1997...Time of 8.33 in 60m H is a national prep record ...100m H time of 13.35 ranks seventh among high school girls all-time and second on the all-time state list...Four-year state champion in the outdoor 100m H...Personal-best of 7.71 in the 55m H ranks fourth on the all-time girls list and is a state record ...State record holder in the 100m dash as well...100m H winner at the 1995 Outdoor Meet of Champions... PERSONAL: Liberal Arts major...One of three children of Forrest and Jessica Walker... Born 5/5/78 in Johnstown, Pa.
Charmaine Walker - 1999 OUTDOOR results
WALKER IN THE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
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