March 8, 2002

Senior Ryan Shay became the most decorated Notre Dame distance runner ever at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. on Friday. Shay finished sixth in the 5,000 meters (14:02.97), earning the eighth All-American honor of his career at Notre Dame.

The fifth-year senior has now earned All-America honors in the indoor 5,000 meters twice in his career, combined with a 10,000 meter individual title in 2000, two seventh-place 10,000-meter finishes to earn All-America honors in 1999 and 2000, an outdoor 5,000-meter All-America finish last season and two All-American efforts in cross country (1999, 2001). Other Irish distance runners that earned multiple All-America honors in their careers include Greg Rice (1937-39) and Peter Farrell (1965-68) with six and Mike McWilliams (1992-95) with five.

Shay finished behind Alistair Cragg of Arkansas (13:49.80), Jorge Torres of Colorado (13:50.35), Dathan Ritzenhein of Colorado (13:50.51), Daniel Lincoln of Arkansas (13:57.71) and Jason Sandfort of Arkansas (14:00.65). He is not done yet with his indoor collegiate career, as the Central Lake, Mich., native will run with teammate Luke Watson in the 3,000 meters tomorrow at 7:40 p.m.