Adams, Crofford Run at NCAA Championships

Terre Haute, Ind. - Senior Lara Crofford and junior David Adams competed at the NCAA Championships on Monday morning at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. Crofford ran at the NCAA Championships for the fourth consecutive year while Adams made his first appearance after earning an automatic bid. In the 253-athlete field, Crofford placed 129th with a time of 21:33.8. Adams ran in a field of 246-athletes placing 135th with a time of 31:28.8.

A senior from Newville, Pa., Crofford first competed as an individual in 2007, finishing 85th. Crofford then lead the 2008 Husker women to their first appearance at the meet since 2003, pacing the team with a 45th-place showing, while the team placed 25th, its top finish since 1999, when it placed 19th. Last year Crofford was selected as one of the at-large bids to the national meet where she placed 113th with a time of 21:24.0.

A junior from York, Nebr., Adams competed at the NCAA Championships for the first time after earning an automatic bid from the Midwest Region. Adams was the first Husker male athlete to compete at the national meet since James Bowler in 2002.

Monday marked the seventh time in the last 10 years that at least one Husker on the women's side has ran at the meet, and the first time since 2002 that a male runner competed at the national meet. 2010 also marks the 26th time Head Coach Jay Dirksen has coached at least on runner at the national meet in his 28 seasons at NU.

Crofford earned an automatic bid to the meet after she earned her fourth straight All-Midwest Region honor following a sixth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Saturday, Nov. 13. Adams also earned an automatic bid to the meet after he earned his second All-Midwest Region honor following an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Regional.