Can Stites Be Stopped?

Coach Knickel gave us an update on '12 alum Emily Stites and her domination at the USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

The following is from a Jacob Skipper article as found on the William & Mary Tribe Athletics website found HERE.

"Running all alone in the late evening Iowa heat, William and Mary standout Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio) put on a clinic and won her second national championship in dominating fashion. The rising sophomore won the USAT&F Junior 5,000m by more than 47 seconds, crossing the line in 16:13.77 for the win. She also qualified for the Pan-Am Junior Games team, which would mark her third appearance this year in the red, white, and blue. Stites' winning time was the second-fastest ever at the U.S. Championships, and less than four seconds from breaking the meet record.

Entered in the national championships more than 45 seconds in front of the next competitor, Stites did not disappoint and took the lead right from the gun. She quickly and consistently stretched her lead, and lapped more than half the field by the time she entered the bell lap. Her final time of 16:13.77 is the ninth-fastest ever for W&M outdoors, and gives Stites four of those top nine times in as many races. If she wants it, Stites is now guaranteed a spot at the Pan-Am Junior Games in Medellin, Colombia, Aug. 23-25, where she would have one more chance at breaking the American Junior Record of 15:40.

Stites' win on Thursday night also vaulted her into elite company, as just the second Tribe athlete to win multiple national titles. This was her second U.S. junior championship of the year, after she won the national cross country meet in early February. The only other athlete in school history to win two championships was men's-great Hal Michael '71, who won the NCAA indoor mile and AAU (precursor to the USAT&F) outdoor mile in 1970. Stites is also a two-time All-American after her first year of collegiate competition, finishing 26th at the NCAA cross country championships last fall and 10th in the 5,000m just a few weeks ago at the NCAA outdoor track meet."

And the following is from a USA Track and Field Press Release from 6/20/2013 found HERE

"...William & Mary’s Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio) was an overwhelming favorite entering the 5K, having moved to fourth on the U.S. junior all-time list with her 15:45.31 at the Mt. SAC Relays in April. Today, she ran away from the field from the gun as she chased a meet record of 16:10.60 set by Caitlin Chock in 2004. Stites rolled through 3,000m in 9:40.99 and needed to run 72.32 or faster on the final lap to break the record, but her 75.5 put her at 16:13.77, 47.61 seconds ahead of runner-up Megan Lacy (Marlton, N.J.) of Stanford."