Oct. 22, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — This past weekend, at the elite Wisconsin adidas Invitational, senior Kelly Curran was running in a field that included seven teams ranked in the top 10 and another nine in the top 20. Curran pushed herself ahead amongst the 287 other runners, and in the end, she finished 16th in the six-kilometer race with a time of 20:07, just 36 seconds behind the first place finisher.
It is for this incredible display that Curran has been honored with the title of ACC Cross Country Performer of the Week.
“Kelly has had an excellent senior season, and competed very well in all of her races to date,” explains head women’s coach Tim Connelly. “Saturday’s race at Wisconsin was by far her best cross country race as a collegiate runner. One of the things that she has done very well this year is to learn from each race, and attempt to improve on ‘weaker aspects of her race’ the next time out.”
It’s saying something that Connelly would label Curran’s performance this week her best ever. In just this season alone, Curran has already come in first place at the National Catholic Championships and ninth place at the Notre Dame Invite.
Curran herself remarks that the most exciting thing about this honor is how it will serve to motivate her team as they prepare to enter the Atlantic Coach Conference Championships Nov. 1. As Connelly says, she is looking to improve as much as possible before that event.
“My goals for the remainder of the season are to continue my improvement as the competition level increases,” she elaborates. “Our team goals are to place high at the ACC meet and improve our mark of 15th nationally.”
Connelly reiterates that Curran’s greatest strength as a runner is her ability to focus herself on what could be better. Rather than label herself a “finished product,” the senior looks to improve every time she races.
“I certainly feel that Kelly has the potential to be one of the top runners at the ACC Conference meet next week, as well as at the Great Lakes Regional meet in November,” Connelly says. “I think that her biggest goal is to help lead our team to a strong team finish at both the conference and regional meets.”
Curran and the rest of the Irish team will travel to Kernersville, N.C., for the ACC Championships Nov. 1.
2013 Notre Dame ACC Cross Country Performer of the Week
- Senior Kelly Curran
- Graduate Student Jeremy Rae
- Sophomore Sydni Meunier
–Lauren Chval, Media Relations Assistant
–ND–