Kingsway graduate Kylie Anicic, a junior at Edinboro, cruised to her eighth individual conference title Saturday when she won the 5,000 at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships at Bucknell University’s Gerhard Fieldhouse in Lewisburg, Pa.
Anicic ran 17:34.83 and won by 60 meters over teammate Kimberly Goerss, who ran 17:47.36. Kate Szep made it a 1-2-3 Edinboro sweep in 3rd place with a 17:48.53.
Anicic ran with a pack of six runners through 17 laps before breaking away and opening up a 25-meter lead over the next two laps.
After starting her athletic career playing field hockey at Temple and a season of cross country at Towson, Anicic has emerged as one of the top NCAA Division 2 runner in the country. She won PSAC titles last indoor season in the mile, 3,000, 5,000 and distance medley, outdoors in the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 and this past fall in cross country.
She’s scheduled to run the mile at 12:30 p.m. Sunday and the 3,000 at 2:50 p.m.
Anicic has PRs of 4:30.52 for 1,500 meters from an outdoor meet in Charlotte, N.C., last March, 4:54.93 for the mile from last month in Youngstown, 9:29.56 over 3,000 meters from State College last month, 16:26.23 from a meet in Allendale, Mich., in December and 34:37.31 from Bucknell last April.
She currently ranks 15th in NCAA Division 2 at 3,000 meters and 8th at 5,000 meters.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 