After ending her senior cross country season finishing 30th at the NCAA Championships, Irish distance runner Lindsay Ferguson continues to record top marks in the indoor track season. Cross country and distance coach Tim Connelly spoke of Ferguson as a crucial component to the team's success alongside her personal accomplishments.
"[Ferguson] helped lead our team to the Regional Championship and a spot at the NCAA Championships, where she earned All-American status," he said.
Ferguson's All-American sta-tus was her first honor of the kind after she finished 20:43 at the NCAAs to be Notre Dame's top finisher.
Connelly attributes Ferguson's success to her work ethic and dedication to her sport over the past four years.
"She is the type of leader who inspires her teammates with her hard work and consistency," Connelly said. "She comes every day ready to work hard and get better, and challenges her teammates to do the same."
Ferguson's efforts have already paid off this indoor season as she has set two NCAA qualifying marks. Ferguson qualified in the mile with a time of 4:45.92 and in the 3,000-meter race. Five Irish athletes and one women's distance medley team have set NCAA qualifying marks so far in the indoor season.
Notre Dame will compete this weekend at its most competitive and challenging meet yet, the Big East indoor championships. Last season, Ferguson finished eighth in the 3,000-meter. This season, Connelly anticipates that Ferguson will thrive at the Big East championships and at other upper echelon meets to follow.
"She is very, very fit and excited about competing against the best people in the country," Connelly said. "We expect some great things for Lindsay in the coming weeks."
This weekend, Ferguson has the potential to add another NCAA qualifying mark to the two already recorded.
"I would look for her to add a [NCAA] qualifier in the 5000-meters as well as improve her 3000-meter mark this weekend," Connelly said. "If she can do that, she will make a huge contribution to our team's effort."
Ferguson and the Irish travel to New York this weekend to compete in the Big East Championships.
