UMKC’s Courtney Frerichs finishes second in NCAA steeplechase

UMKC distance-running standout Courtney Frerichs ran the fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase of her life, and it was good enough for second place on Saturday at the NCAA track and field championships in Eugene, Ore.

Frerichs, a junior from Nixa, Mo., finished in 9 minutes, 31.36 seconds, topping her personal best by nearly 1 second.

Colleen Quigley of Florida State won the event in 9:29.32. Michigan State’s Leah O’Connor, the defending champion, finished third.

Frerichs ran in the middle to the back of the back for the first third of the race before joining the leaders.

O’Connor and Quigley started to separate from Frerichs with about 1 1/2 laps remaining, and it appeared the finish would be a two-woman race.

But Frerichs ran down O’Connor in the final straightaway, and her second-place finish was the best by a UMKC individual athlete in an the NCAA championships.

UMKC distance-running standout Courtney Frerichs ran the fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase of her life, and it was good enough for

This story was originally published June 13, 2015 at 5:39 PM with the headline "UMKC’s Courtney Frerichs finishes second in NCAA steeplechase."