CLAREMONT, Calif. – Carleton College distance runner Simone Childs-Walker (Sr./Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) placed eighth in the 10,000-meter run at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships to secure yet another All-America performance, this one the 12th of her amazing collegiate career.
Childs-Walker earned All-America distinction for the fourth straight year in this event as she crossed the line at 36:39.04. Teammate Alison Smyth (Sr./Billings, Mont./Billings West) was making her first trip to nationals but was unable to complete the race.
Childs-Walker made her 12th NCAA Championships appearance overall, having qualified every possible time in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. She already ranked second all-time among Carleton women in total All-America awards to the 17 secured by swimmer Marie Marsman ’04. However, seven of Marsman’s honors came during relay events, meaning Childs-Walker is the most-decorated female student-athlete in Carleton history when only individual performances are considered. (See chart below)
Top seed Alana Enabnit of Wartburg College was the individual champion in this year’s 10,000-meter race, posting a winning time of 35:14.70. Her teammate Laura Sigmund was next across the line, 15 seconds behind Enabnit.
This was the first time in the 38-year history of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships that the meet was contested on the West Coast. The meet has only been held west of the Mississippi River three times previously, twice in Minnesota and once in Iowa. Carleton was the host school in 1984 and again four years later. The 2005 national meet was contested at Wartburg College.
Carleton College Women to Earn 4+ All-America Awards
| 17 | Marie Marsman ’04 | swimming & diving (10 individual, 7 relay) | ||
| 12 | Simone Childs-Walker ’12 | cross country, indoor/outdoor track and field (12 individual) | ||
| 9 | Aminah Ricks ’94 | indoor/outdoor track and field (9 individual) | ||
| 8 | Anna Prineas ’89 | cross country, indoor/outdoor track and field (8 individual) | ||
| 6 | Kim Gillen ’85 | swimming & diving (6 individual) | ||
| 6 | Jenny Grover ’06 | swimming & diving (6 relay) | ||
| 6 | Emily Mondloh ’05 | swimming & diving (6 relay) | ||
| 5 | Andrea Barbera ’05 | swimming & diving (5 relay) | ||
| 4 | Angie Soucek ’02 | swimming & diving (4 individual) | ||
| 4 | Kale Zicafoose '11 | swimming & diving (4 individual) |
Childs-Walker's NCAA Championship Appearances
| Cross Country | ||
| 2008 | 61st of 219 runners | |
| 2009 | 11th of 279 runners (All-America) | |
| 2010 | 101st of 279 runners | |
| 2011 | 46th of 277 runners | |
| Indoor Track | ||
| 2009 | third in 5,000m (All-America) | |
| 2010 | third in 5,000m (All-America) | |
| 2011 | third in 5,000m (All-America), 15th in mile | |
| 2012 | seventh in 5,000 (All-America) | |
| Outdoor Track | ||
| 2009 | third in 5,000m (All-America), eighth in 10,000m (All-America) | |
| 2010 | third in 10,000m (All-America), fourth in 5,000m (All-America) | |
| 2011 | fourth in 10,000m (All-America), fifth in 5,000m (All-America) | |
| 2012 | eighth in 10,000m (All-America) |
