DES MOINES, Iowa – Eastern Kentucky University senior Jacob Korir finished fourth in the 10,000 meters with a time of 28:49.92 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships on Thursday night. It was Korir’s last race ever as a Colonel.
Two other Colonels also competed at the National Championships. Junior Joseph Maina qualified for the finals of the 5,000 meters on Wednesday with a time of 14:26.26, and then finished 15th in the finals of the 5,000 meters on Friday night with a time of 14:06.43.
Freshman Shannon Davis competed in the 200 meter dash on Thursday, finishing 23rd with a time of 21.25.
Korir will leave EKU as one of the school’s most decorated athletes. In March, he finished second in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships, losing by only one second to Shadrack Songok of Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Afterwards, Korir was named an All-American, his first All-America honor in track and field.
Korir is a three-time All-American in cross country. In November, he finished sixth at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, his highest placing in three tries. The finish capped a decorated cross country career that saw Korir named the 2006 and 2007 OVC Male Athlete of the Year, and the OVC Cross Country Runner of the Week a conference record 11 times.
Maina qualified for the National Championships by placing seventh at the Mideast Regional Championships two weeks ago with a time of 14:16.65. In November of 2007, he competed alongside Korir at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, finishing in the top third of the field.
Davis transferred to EKU for football from Tulane University, where he played wide receiver for the Green Wave last fall. He immediately burst onto the scene as one of the top sprinters in the OVC. Going into this weekend, Davis sits atop the OVC Best List in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.20, and is the second ranked 200 meter dash runner in the conference at 21.37. He was also named the Male OVC Track Athlete of the Week twice during the outdoor season.