All American Matt Rand Finishes 6th at NCAA 10k

(5/27/2011 9:04 AM) See more Photos     Full Results

As the lone representative from the Tufts Men's Track & Field team competing at the NCAA National Championships, sophomore Matt Rand made his TUTF brethren extremely proud last Thursday as he finished 6th overall in the 10,000m, garnering the first All-American honors of his young career. Matt was one of just two sophomores in the race, which senior Mike Spain of North Central won in 29:58.92.

After an honest 15:20 opening 5K, Rand was one of the few able to hold the pace and secure a top 8 finish. His negative split time of 30:37.17 was the second fastest of his career and just seconds off his lifetime PR of 30:26, which he set at the IC4A Championships two weeks prior. Both races saw Matt move up significantly in the seeds, showcasing his ability to push when it counts -- and hurts -- most.

If you couldn't tell from his all-time freshmen records, top 15 in New England XC performance, and 5k PR of 14:46, Rand has now cemented himself as a national caliber distance runner and one of the very best in the Region. Under his steely exterior and calm demeanor, Matt's ferocious love of competition led him to high finishes in the Indoor New England 5000m and NESCAC 10k. Remarkably, he capped off his 2011 outdoor campaign with 4 straight 5Ks under 15:20 -- 15:08, 15:18, 15:20, 15:17 -- and they all came in 10Ks. This well-deserved honor is sure to be the first of many for this young Jumbo.


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