Paul VI’s Shaelan McNally, a Bucknell sophomore, recorded the biggest win of her young college career Saturday when she placed 1st in the 5,000 at the ECAC Championships in Piscataway.
McNally ran 16:46.43 and won by 50 meters over Vermont sophomore Isabella Fryar, who placed 2nd in 16:56.63.
McNally’s 16:46.43 is No. 8 in Bucknell history and No. 9 in the Patriot League this year. McNally is also No. 9 in the conference in the 1,500 [4:25.83]
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McNally had only run two prior collegiate 5,000s and her previous PR was a 17:47.52 indoors in February 2025 at Youngstown. So this is a PR of more than a minute.
McNally is the 5th South Jersey college woman to run sub-17 this year, following La Salle’s Helene Usher of Haddonfield [16:42], Penn State’s Liliah Gordon of Northern Burlington [16:31.18], Rider’s Maddie Dischert of Atlantic City [16:34.70] and her Bucknell teammate, Cherokee’s Kerry O’Day [16:43.08].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 