Dumitrescu Captures All-America Honors, Breaks Two School Records
3/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
FAYATTEVILLE, Ark. - It was all in a day's work for Kent State sophomore Diana Dumitrescu.
She finished eighth to claim All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the pentathlon with a record total of 4,055 points.
"It's been a great indoor season for Diana Dumitrescu," said Director of Track and Field/CC Bill Lawson. "She has had a really good season being an individual MAC Champion, part of a team MAC championship, broke the school record twice in the pentathlon, breaking the school record in the long jump and now an NCAA All-American.
Not only did Dumitrescu break her own school record in the pentathlon by 39 points, she also set a new school record in the long jump. Her distance of 19'-9.75" (6.04 meters) broke the 2003 mark of LaShannon Foster by a 0.25".
In the pentathlon, Dumitrescu was around 10th the entire competition before back-to-back third-place finishes in the shot put (41'-11.25", 12.78 meters) and long jump vaulted her as high as fourth place.
"Assistant coach Phil Rickaby did a great job with her in the long jump today," Lawson said. "The long jump and the shot put catapulted her into the elite group of girls. She recorded a seasonal best in the 800 meters, not one of her strongest events, to close out the day."
Dumitrescu became only the eighth Kent State athlete (ninth time overall) to claim women's NCAA Indoor Track and Field All-American honors.
"It was such an unbelievable year for Diana. She has been such a great addition to the program," Lawson said. "We are very proud of her. She was only one point out of seventh and six points out of sixth in a very close competition. It was an unbelievable season and a great meet for her.
"We are very proud of her. I think there is going to be a lot more accolades for her in the future," Lawson added.
