Elizabeth Pellegrini of Worcester, Mass., Earns All-America Accolades in Track and Field Season Finale

2016 Jun 13

WPI senior Elizabeth Pellegrini capped off her outstanding career by resetting her own school record en route to a runner up finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday at Wartburg.

Pellegrini, who raced to a 1:00.09, is the fourth women's track and field athlete and 12th overall to earn All-America status. It is the tenth time a woman has garnered All-American recognition and the 27th occasion overall. She becomes the only women's runner to achieve All-America and just the second overall and first since the program's initial citation way back in 1975 by Alan Briggs in the mile.

Furthermore, the senior joins an exclusive group with Peter J. Sifferlen (Hammer Throw - 1984), Michael Pockoski (Hammer Throw - 1998 and 1999), Julie Eagle (High Jump - Tie 2013 and 2014) and Laura Pumphrey (High Jump -Tie 2013, 2015) of those to pick up a silver medal.

The winner of the race, Ashton Rakow from Nebraska Wesleyan, was nearly a second quicker and handed in the fifth-best time in NCAA Division III history with a 59.17. Like Thursday's trials, a number of student-athletes bettered the stadium record, including Pellegrini.

Earlier in the field events, senior Jason Beauregard finished 16th in the hammer throw with his initial toss of 175-3. He was fourth in his flight after the first round. Edward Cumminsfrom Rhode Island College claimed the title with a heave of 204 feet.

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Projects Program. There are more than 45 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.