Penn sophomore Julianna Catania from Egg Harbor Township High ran a 3,000-meter PR in her first race of the spring, placing third at the Penn Challenge at Franklin Field in 9:57.22.
Catania finished only four seconds behind winner Katie Wasserman, a Columbia sophomore, who ran 9:53.18.
Catania’s previous college 3,000 PR was an 10:11.39 at the Villanova Invitational at the Ocean Breeze track in Staten Island in February. In high school, she ran 10:03.60 on the same track at the Penn Relays.
A 9:57 converts to roughly a 10:41 for the high school distance of 3,200 meters, and that would also be a PR for Catania by about four seconds.
Catania’s main event is the 3,000 steeplechase, and she ranks sixth in Penn history in the event with a 10:54.51 at Penn last year.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 