Palmquist Overcomes Accident to Compete in Regionals - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

Saturday, November 15

Greenville, N.C.

College of Charleston

NCAA Regionals

Palmquist Overcomes Accident to Compete in Regionals - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

11/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country

#articleRelated { display: none !important; } Kyle Palmquist finishing 84th in the NCAA Southeast Regional women's cross country championships was impressive. Competing in the event just two weeks after she was hit by a car was remarkable.

The sophomore from Middletown, CT finished 84th in the NCAA Regionals held in Greenville, NC on November 15 with a time of 22:31.3. Her time when converted to a 5k, was a personal best by 25 seconds. Her performance in the event is even more impressive considering the events leading up to the competition.

"Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of her performance was the fact that just days before competing she was hit by a car," said College of Charleston head cross country coach Amy Schuckert. "She suffered a concussion in addition to severe bruising of her lower legs. The accident kept her from competing in our conference meet, but she was bound and determined to bounce back and take care of some unfinished business on the cross country course."

The business included capping off a season in which she took first place at The Citadel Invitational and being named Southern Conference Runner of the Week on October 1. She finished the 5k event in 19:11.32 and captured the individual title by more than three minutes.

Palmquist recovered from her accident and was the fourth highest Southern Conference finisher in the regionals.

"I am very proud of her performance," said Schuckert. "But most especially I am proud of the way she took a bad situation and made the best of it."