by Alan Babbitt

Hope College distance runner Ana Tucker is off to a fast start to the 2022 outdoor season.

The junior from Midland, Michigan (H.H. Dow HS) clocked both a school record in the 10,000 meters and the fastest time in NCAA Division III this season on Thursday in Raleigh, N.C.

Tucker recorded a time of 35 minutes, 19.33 seconds at the North Carolina State University Raleigh Relays.

The previous Hope record of 36:02.54 was set by Julia Stock in 2016.

Tucker already owns Hope's 5,000-meter record with a run of 16:37.99 last season.

School Records

Heading into Thursday, Kara Putnam of Pacific University (Ore.) had Division III's fastest time at 37:31.43.

National Ranking

Tucker ran among a field of NCAA Division I competitors and top NCAA Division II entrants.

Tucket finished 51st out of 85 runners.

Hope's next meet is the Emory University (Ga.) Open on Friday-Saturday, March 25-26.