Kylie Anicic ran the 4th-fastest 5,000 in NCAA Division 2 this year late Friday night in Southern California.
Anicic, a Kingsway graduate and senior at Edinboro, ran 16:14.07 at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Cougar Stadium at Azusa Pacific University.
Her time is 8th-fastest ever by a South Jersey high school graduate.
Anicic’s previous 5,000 PR was a 16:25.97 in March of 2023 when she placed 6th at the NCAA Division 2 indoor championships in Virginia Beach. She broke the school record of 16:18.41 set by Stefanie Parsons at last year’s Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.
Anicic has raced twice this spring and run huge PRs both times. She set a school record of 33:25.55 in the 10,000 two weeks ago in Raleigh, N.C. That remains the No. 1 time in NCAA Division 2 this year.
In addition to the 5,000 and 10,000 outdoors, Anicic holds Edinboro school records indoors at 3,000 meters [9:27.55] and 5,000 meters [16:25.97].
The official results do not list splits. Anicic finished 2nd in the race behind post-collegiate runner Layla Almasri, who ran 16:07.99.
Anicic is one of three women from Kingsway who have run sub 16:20. Chelsea Ley ran 16:12.62 at the 2012 Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Va., and Lori Townsend ran 16:17.67 at the 1995 Penn Relays.
All-Time South Jersey Alumni 5,000-Meter List
15:02.27 … Marielle Hall [Haddonfield], July 9, 2019, Azusa, Calif.
15:10.10 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], May 29, 2021, Attleboro, Mass.
15:41.78 … Erin Donohue [Haddonfield], May 1, 2011, Palo Alto, Calif.
15:53.74 … Megan McGlinchey [West Deptford], Dec. 7, 2013, Haverford, Pa.
15:56.73 … Mindy Rowand [Sterling], March 9, 1990, Indianapolis
16:06.92 … Amanda Goetschius [Delsea], March 12, 2020, Fayetteville, Ark.
16:12.62 … Chelsea Ley [Kingsway], April 7, 2012, Williamsburg, Va.
16:14.07 … Kylie Anicic [Kingsway], April 12, 2024, Azusa, Calif.
16:17.67 … Lori Townsend [Kingsway], April 27, 1995, Philadelphia
16:29.45 … Alyssa Condell [Timber Creek], April 12, 2024, Princeton
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 