FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ICMYI live - Carly runs to glory for her fourth 400m national title & fifth overall! ���������� #GoMack #D2TF #NCAAD2 pic.twitter.com/PYyj0XEsfc
— Merrimack T&F/XC (@MerrimackTFXC) May 27, 2017
Merrimack Senior Becomes the Most-Decorated Student-Athlete in the History of the NE10
BRADENTON, Fla. – Capping a four-year career that will long be remembered as one of the best individual careers by a Northeast-10 Conference student-athlete, Merrimack senior sprinter Carly Muscaro raced to a pair of national championships on Saturday evening at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at IMG Academy.
The senior's six career national titles are more than any other student-athlete in the 37-year history of the conference. She won the 400-meter national title four times, and added two championships in the 200-meter event during her illustrious career. She caps off her career as a 12-time All-American.
Muscaro started her evening by winning the 400-meter final with a time of 51.90 seconds, her fourth career crown in the event. She followed that up with her first-ever outdoor title in the 200-meter dash, posting a time of 23.40 to collect her sixth individual national championship, concluding her illustrious career in a familiar position – on top of the podium.
400-Meter Recap
Muscaro started the day with the 400-meter final, looking to pick up her fourth straight national title in the event dating back to a pair of indoor crowns and her first outdoor championship in 2016 as a junior
She started the race in the fifth lane, and by the 20-second mark had pulled ahead of her competition. Muscaro held off a late charge from senior Mary Bergman from Southwest Baptist and senior Shatajah Wattely from Southern Connecticut to prevail, crossing the finish line with a time of 51.90 seconds The national-title winning time registered as Muscaro's best of the season, improving on her nation-best time of 52.06 that she boasted entering outdoor nationals
200-Meter Recap
Muscaro won the indoor national title in the 200-meter dash in March, and aimed to repeat that feat in her final outdoor run. In 2016, the 12-time All-American finished as the runner-up at outdoor nationals by .01 seconds.
Securing the second-fastest time following the preliminary heats, Muscaro raced off the block and pulled ahead around the 100-meter mark. She left no doubt at the finish line, raising her hands in the air as she reached the end of the race, ending her four-year career as a Warrior with another national championship
Her time of 23.40 bested the competition by .17 seconds, and was a personal best for her this season
Career Accomplishments:
- The most decorated student-athlete in the 37-year history of the NE10
- Muscaro graduates as the program's most decorated athlete in its short history and arguably the most accomplished student-athletes to ever represent the school among any program.
- Her most notable accomplishments are her six national championships, with four coming in her marquee event, the 400-meter dash (2015-16 indoor, 2016 outdoor, 2016-17 indoor, 2017 outdoor), as well as two more in the 200-meter dash (2016-17 indoor, 2017 outdoor).
- She is the only individual student-athlete to ever win a national championship in any sport in Merrimack College history.
- Muscaro has garnered 12 All-America accolades, the most in school history by any student-athlete.
- Muscaro was named the 2016-17 USTFCCCA Indoor Women's Track Athlete of the Year in March after an incredible indoor season.
- The senior is also a five-time USTFCCA Regional Track Athlete of the Year, earning her third straight accolade for the outdoor season two weeks ago.
- An eight-time USTFCCA All-East Region honoree, Muscaro is also a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree.
- Muscaro has competed in NCAA Track & Field Championships in every single season; she became the program's first individual qualifier as a freshman during the 2013-14 indoor season, setting the tone for the historic career that was to come.\
- Muscaro has also dominated in the classroom as indicated by her twice being named a CoSIDA Academic All-American, with a third straight selection pending. If she garners this distinction, she will be the fourth student-athlete ever at Merrimack to be a three-time Academic All-American and first in 22 years. Additionally, Muscaro is also a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
- In addition to her national recognition from CoSIDA, Muscaro earned academic recognition from the NE10 to the tune of five NE10 Academic All-Conference selections and four Sports Excellence Awards as the top academic student-athlete in the sport of track & field among the NE10's member institutions. Muscaro can still add one more academic all-conference nod and one Sports Excellence Award pending the spring 2017 selections.
Information for this release provided by the athletic communications staff at Merrimack
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
