Schaumburg, Ill. – Saint Xavier University junior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) qualified for the 2012 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in the marathon over the weekend with her participation in Saturday's Schaumburg Half Marathon Turkey Trot in Schaumburg, Ill.  Shares finished the half marathon in an impressive time of 1:29.44 and was the top finisher in her age group (19-24) and fourth overall woman finisher.  With the time, she established a new school record for the half marathon beating the previous best time of 1:35.35.  The NAIA's "A" qualifying standard time for next May's marathon at Nationals is 1:33.00. 

Naperville, Ill. - Junior Jacina Sims (Park Forest, Ill./Rich East) qualified for the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships with a "B" standard qualifying time of 12.23 in the 100-meter dash to highlight a record-setting meet for the Saint Xavier University women's track team this past weekend at the Dr. Keeler Invitational hosted by North Central College in Naperville, Ill. In addition, the Cougars had a number of school-record performances over the weekend with senior Kayla Gilbert (Country Club Hills, Ill./Shepard) establishing a new mark in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:00.61 and junior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) breaking the record in the 800-meter run at 2:18.68 and running an "A" standard qualifying time in the 1500 meter run at 4:39.68. Junior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) also set a new personal best time in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:19.86.

Geneva, Ohio - Saint Xavier University junior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) took home a third-place finish and All-American recognition this past weekend in the 3,000 meter run at the 2011 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the GaREAT Sports Complex in Geneva, Ohio. She won her preliminary heat with a time of 10:18.16 and then finished third overall in the finals with a personal-best time of 10:06.69 to earn All-American honors. The top six finishers in the event were named All-Americans. It was the highest finish in the event for a Saint Xavier University women's runner in the program's history and gives Dean her second All-American recognition after being named a NAIA All-American in cross country last November.