Freshman Kerry O’Day from Cherokee ran the 9th-fastest 5,000 in Bucknell history Saturday night in her first lifetime 5K on the track.
O’Day ran 16:55.53 at the Bucknell Bison Classic in Lewisburg, Pa., 2nd-fastest all-time time by a Bucknell freshman and fastest since Lauren Gronbeck ran 16:52.68 at the same meet in 2017.
Her time is 4th-fastest this year in the Patriot League and fastest by a conference freshman.
O’Day has previously run 4:56.44 for a full mile, 9:57.06 for 3,000 meters and 10:58.56 in the steeplechase this year.
Former Kingsway runner and Edinboro All-America Kylie Anicic, racing unattached, won the race in 16:32.51 on a 69.40 final lap. She ran her final 800 in 2:27.27.
Payton Falkenstein, an East Stroudsburg sophomore from Burlington Township, ran 17:27.78, dropping her PR from 17:36.93 from this meet last year. Her time is 8th-fastest in school history and fastest by an East Stroudsburg woman since Northern Burlington graduate Laura Mason ran 17:23.24 in 1985.
Here’s my best attempt at an all-time Burlington County alumni 5,000-meter list:
15:10.10 … Erika Kemp [Rancocas Valley], May 29, 2021, Attleboro, Mass.
16:34.70 … Jenna Darcy [Shawnee], Feb. 19, 2005, Kingston, R.I.
16:36.18 … Megan Lacy [Cherokee], June 5, 2021, Nashville, Tenn.
16:48.89 … Liliah Gordon [Northern Burlington], March 16, 2025, Boston
16:54.03 … Isabella Turner [Shawnee], March 28, 2025, Raleigh, N.C.
16:55.53 … Kerry O’Day [Cherokee], April 12, 2025, Lewisburg, Pa.
16:56.62 … Keira Mansure [Northern Burlington], March 3, 2024, Boston
17:02.20 … Lisa Syvertson [Shawnee], 1991, N/A
17:03.30 … Laura Mason [Northern Burlington], June 15, 1996, Atlanta
17:08.79 … Isabella Leak [Egg Harbor Twp.], May 6, 2023, Williamsburg, Va.
17:12.71 … Colleen Sunderland [Northern Burlington], N/A
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 