Karissa Schweizer (photo/Mizzou Athletics)
Mizzou Track & Field star Karissa Schweizer won her third career NCAA title on Saturday, winning the 5,000m run title at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, OR. It was even close. Schweizer set a school record and won by almost five seconds. Schweizer adds the outdoor 5,000m to the indoor title she won earlier this year, along with a cross country national title last fall.
Schweizer’s new Mizzou record is 15:38.93 and she took the lead with six laps remaining before pulling away. She is the fourth female in NCAA history to win the distance triple crown (cross country, indoor 5000m and outdoor 5000m NCAA titles), and first since 2008. Schweizer is preceded by Villanova’s Jennifer Rhines (1994-95), Arizona’s Amy Skieresz (1996-97) and Texas Tech’s Sally Kipyego (2007-08).
Joining Schweizer on the podium, redshirt sophomore Gabi Jacobs finished fifth in the discus to earn First-Team All-America honors.