Kylie Anicic, a Kingsway graduate now a sophomore at Edinboro (Pa.) University, recorded a huge 1,500 PR and NCAA Division 2 provisional qualifier over the weekend in North Carolina.
Anicic ran 4:30.52 at the Charlotte 49er Classic at the Irwin Belk Center. The NCAA D-2 qualifying standard is 4:32.67.
It was her first outdoor race in nearly three years.
Anicic finished second to Genevieve Schwartz of East Tennessee State, the Southern Conference mile champ, who ran 4:26.29. Schwartz, a 4:46.05 miler, closed in 65.85.
After getting out in 55.86 for the first 300 meters, Anicic split 72.77, 72.63 and 69.27 for her last three laps, so she closed in 2:21.90 for her final 800.
Anicic’s time is the equivalent of a 4:52.16 mile. Her previous 1,500 PR was 4:36.42, which she ran while attending Towson (Md.) University in April of 2019 at the Larry Ellis Invitational in Princeton. Her mile PR is 4:58.38.
Her time is No. 3 in Edinboro history and No. 8 so far this spring season in NCAA Division 2.
Her last outdoor race was on June 21, 2019, when she ran 4:44.24 for 1,500 meters and placed 7th in the USATF Under-20 Championships in Miramar, Fla.
Anicic began her college career playing soccer at Temple before spending the 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons and 2020 indoor season at Towson. The 2020 season was wiped out because of COVID and after she transferred to Edinboro she was ineligible to compete until this past winter season.
Indoors, Anicic ran that 4:58.38 mile [No. 3 in Edinboro history], 9:43.39 for 3,000 meters [school record] and 16:48.19 for 5,000 meters [No. 3 in school history].
NCAA Division 2 nationals are scheduled for May 26-28 at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich.
At Kingsway, Anicic ran 2:17.59 and 5:07.11.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 