March 6, 2001

The University of Notre Dame men's indoor track and field team will be represented by senior Ryan Shay (Central Lake, Mich.) in the 5,000-meter run at the 2001 NCAA Indoor Championship in Fayetteville, Ark. The event is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, March 9.

Shay is the fourth-fastest qualifier in the field after winning the 5,000 meters at the Meyo Invitational in 13:52.66. He also won the 5,000-meter title at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships (Feb. 17). He is the first Irish runner to compete in the NCAA indoor 5,000 meter championship race since Mike O'Connor finished eighth in 1990.

This will be Shay's first experience at the NCAA indoor meet, but the Irish All-American is a veteran of the NCAA outdoor meet. He has posted back-to-back seventh place finishes in the 10,000 meters at the 1999 and 2000 NCAA outdoor championships.

Shay is a BIG EAST cross country champion (1999) and has an All-American cross country finish (12th at the 1999 NCAA Championship) on his resume. He ended up sitting out the 2000 cross country season to recover from his training for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, where the Irish senior finished 10th in the 10,000 meters.

2001 NCAA Indoor Championship 5,000-meter run field:

1. David Kimani		Alabama		13:35.21
2. Matthew Lane		Wm. & Mary	13:47.48
3. Jonathan Riley	Stanford	13:52.66
4. Ryan Shay		Notre Dame	13:52.66
5. Louis Luchini	Stanford	13:53.87
6. Keith Kelly		Providence	13:54.09
7. David Baize		Washington	13:58.53
8. Stephen Ondieki	F. Dickinson	13:59.65
9. Ian Connor		Ohio State	14:01.92
10. Tom McArdle		Dartmouth	14:03.58
11. Emry Carr		Idaho State	14:04.66
12. Daniel Lincoln	Arkansas	14:04.92
13. Jared Cordes	Wisconsin	14:05.05
14. Mike Wisniewski	Michigan	14:05.33
15. Curtis Moore	Southern Utah	14:07.20
16. Murray Link		Arkansas	14:07.29