University of New Hampshire Athletics
Purrier with two of her New Balance Boston teammates, Emily Durgin, left, and Cory McGee, right, and coach Mark Coogan.
Purrier Shines in Pro Debut, Advances to USATF Finals
6/21/2018 5:51:00 PM | Women's Track & Field, UNH Insider
Shanahan Competes Friday, Purrier Runs Again Saturday
DURHAM, N.H. – Former University of New Hampshire All American Elinor Purrier (Montgomery, Vt.) broke into the professional running ranks in a big way on Thursday afternoon at the USA Track & Field Nationals at Drake University.
Purrier turned in a personal best time of 4 minutes, 8.24 seconds to finish third in her heat of the 1500 meter run and grab a spot in Saturday's national finals. She will be one of 12 women in the finals. Four of the contenders on Saturday have competed in the Olympics.
Jenny Simpson, who won Purrier's heat in a time of 4:07.67, won a bronze medal in the 1500 in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
"This is a huge step in Elle's career," said Robert Hoppler, who coached Purrier at UNH. "At the Olympics Trials in 2016, she didn't advance to the finals (in the steeplechase). Two years later, she's an NCAA champion (in the mile), she's competed at the Millrose Games and she's had two more years of training and she's able to advance. Physically, mentally and tactically she's in a different place now."
Purrier ran for the first time as a member of the New Balance Boston team Thursday. Former Olympic marathoner Mark Coogan, the New Balance Boston coach, announced Wednesday that Purrier had signed a contract to run with the group.
Mike Shanahan (Dover, N.H.), another former Wildcat All American, is also in Des Moines, this week to compete at the Outdoor Nationals.
The finals of the women's 1500 are Saturday at 4:46 p.m. Eastern.
Shanahan will compete in the hammer throw Friday at 4:20 p.m. Eastern.
Purrier and Shanahan closed out their UNH careers with All American finishes at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., two weeks ago.
THE COMPETITION
ALL AMERICANS
WILDCAT CROSS COUNTRY
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Purrier turned in a personal best time of 4 minutes, 8.24 seconds to finish third in her heat of the 1500 meter run and grab a spot in Saturday's national finals. She will be one of 12 women in the finals. Four of the contenders on Saturday have competed in the Olympics.
Jenny Simpson, who won Purrier's heat in a time of 4:07.67, won a bronze medal in the 1500 in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
"This is a huge step in Elle's career," said Robert Hoppler, who coached Purrier at UNH. "At the Olympics Trials in 2016, she didn't advance to the finals (in the steeplechase). Two years later, she's an NCAA champion (in the mile), she's competed at the Millrose Games and she's had two more years of training and she's able to advance. Physically, mentally and tactically she's in a different place now."
Purrier ran for the first time as a member of the New Balance Boston team Thursday. Former Olympic marathoner Mark Coogan, the New Balance Boston coach, announced Wednesday that Purrier had signed a contract to run with the group.
Mike Shanahan (Dover, N.H.), another former Wildcat All American, is also in Des Moines, this week to compete at the Outdoor Nationals.
The finals of the women's 1500 are Saturday at 4:46 p.m. Eastern.
Shanahan will compete in the hammer throw Friday at 4:20 p.m. Eastern.
Purrier and Shanahan closed out their UNH careers with All American finishes at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., two weeks ago.
THE COMPETITION
- Lauren Johnson was second in Purrier's heat in 4:08.21.
- Purrier's heat was by far the fastest of the day.
- The top three runners in each of three heats advanced to the finals along with the three runners with the next best times.
- All three of the runners who advanced on time were in the Simpson-Johnson-Purrier heat.
- Purrier's previous best time in the 1500 was 4:10.08, which was the 22nd best seed time of the 30 women in Thursday's field.
- She hit that mark in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships.
- Brenda Martinez won the second heat in 4:10.51.
- Shelby Houlihan won the third heat in 4:14.79 and Kate Grace was second in 4:14.95.
- Martinez (1500), Grace (800) and Houlihan (5000) are Olympians along with Simpson.
- Shanahan is the 14th seed in the hammer throw in a field of 18 competitors with a best effort of 69.32 meters.
- The top seed is Sean Donnelly at 76.96 meters.
ALL AMERICANS
- Purrier finished seventh in the 1500 meters in Eugene to earn All American honors for the 11th time as a Wildcat.
- She was a first-team All American at the Outdoor Championships each of the four times she competed there.
- The first three times she earned All American awards in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
- Purrier won the NCAA championship in the mile at the Indoor Championships at College Station, Texas in March.
- She was also an All American in the 3000 at the Indoor championships.
- Shanahan finished 13th to earn second-team All American honors in the hammer throw in Eugene.
- He was seventh at the Indoor championships to earn first-team All American honors.
WILDCAT CROSS COUNTRY
- The UNH men's and women's cross country teams swing back into action on Friday, Aug. 31.
- The Wildcats open the season with a traditional Labor Day weekend home meet, their only home meet of the season.
- They will play host to Providence, Holy Cross, Dartmouth and Brown that day.
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Players Mentioned
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