Boots Earns All-America Honors at NCAA Championships

WARTBURG, Iowa -- Wellesley sophomore Randelle Boots earned All-America honors at the 2010 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships held at Wartburg College in Iowa on Saturday.

Boots placed 25th overall in the 6-kilometer race that featured 279 competitors.  Her time of 21:40.2 bested her NCAA Regionals time by over 40 seconds and was nearly two minutes better than her time at least season's Championship race. 

Boots' All-America honor is the first of her career in cross country and the second total.  The Seekonk, MA, native previously earned All-America honors in the mile run at the 2010 Indoor Track Championships.  Boots becomes just the fourth Wellesley cross country All-American, joining Tracy Basset '06 (2004), Paula Andres '90 (1989) and Jennifer Kegel '88 (1987). 

In addition to joining the elite group of Wellesley cross country All-Americans, Boots' time of 21:40.2 broke the program record for a 6k race by almost 30 seconds.  The previous record was held by Bassett who ran a 22:09.5 in 2004. 

The national meet capped a brilliant sophomore season for Boots, in which she earned All-America, All-Region, All-NEWMAC and All-Seven Sisters honors.  She posted wins at the NEWMAC Championships, the Seven Sisters Championships and the Roger Williams Invitational.  Boots' first place finish at the NEWMAC Championships earned her 2010 NEWMAC Runner of the Year honors.

Photos courtesy Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com