One of the top middle distance runners in program history ... Was a seven-time All-American, 10-time BIG EAST champion and eight-time Penn Relays champion during her collegiate career ... Indoor school record holder in the 600 meters and the 800 meters ... Earned individual All-America recognition both indoors and outdoors three straight years from 2016-18 ... Two-time Outstanding Track Performer at the BIG EAST Championships ... In the 2017 outdoor season was the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women's Track Athlete of the Year and also the College Women's Athlete of the Meet for the relay events at the Penn Relays ... Irish national champion in the 800 meters during her collegiate career ... During the summer seasons while on the Wildcats roster, she competed at the IAAF World Championships and the European Athletics U23 Championships in July 2017, as well as the European Athletics Championships in July 2016 ... Was named the Athletics Ireland U23 Athlete of the Year in 2016.
CAREER COLLEGIATE RESULTS
| ALL-AMERICAN |
BIG EAST CHAMPION |
ALL-BIG EAST |
| Outdoor |
Outdoor |
Outdoor |
| 2018 - 800m (1st Tm) |
2018 - 800m |
2018 - 800m, 4x400 |
| 2017 - 800m (HM) |
2017 - 1500m, 4x400 |
2017 - 1500, 4x400 |
| 2016 - 800m (2nd Tm) |
2016 - 800m |
2016 - 800m, 4x800 |
|
|
2015 - 1500m, 4x400 |
|
|
|
| Indoor |
Indoor |
Indoor |
| 2018 - 800m (1st Tm) |
2018 - 800m, 4x400 |
2018 - 800m, 4x400 |
| 2017 - Mile (1st Tm) |
2017 - 800m, 4x400, DMR |
2017 - 800m, 4x400, DMR |
| 2016 - 800m (2nd Tm) |
|
2016 - DMR |
| 2015 - DMR (HM) |
2015 - 4x800 |
2015 - 1000m, 4x800 |
|
|
|
|
|
Cross Country |
|
|
2017 - Second Team |
|
|
2016 - First Team |
|
|
2015 - First Team |
|
|
2014 |
| PERSONAL BESTS |
| 400 Meters (relay) |
52.6 |
Hurricane Alumni Invitational (4.8.2017) |
| 400 Meters (open) |
55.57 |
High School |
| 500 Meters |
1:12.60 |
Penn State National (1.30.2016) |
| 600 Meters |
1:31.55 |
Metro Team Challenge (1.23.2015) |
| 800 Meters (open) (non-VU) |
2:01.98 |
British Milers Club Grand Prix (7.9.2016) |
| 800 Meters (open) (VU) |
2:02.11 |
NCAA East Preliminary (5.26.2017) |
| 800 Meters (relay) |
2:02.63 |
Penn Relays (4.28.2018) |
| 1000 Meters |
2:47.25 |
BIG EAST Championships (3.1.2015) |
| 1500 Meters (relay) |
4:11.6 |
Penn Relays (4.28.2017) |
| 1500 Meters (open) |
4:16.71 |
Larry Ellis Invitational (4.20.2018) |
| Mile |
4:33.16 |
FastTrack National Invitational (2.10.2017) |
| 3000 Meters |
9:37.48 |
Jack Pyrah Invitational (12.2.2017) |
| 3 Miles (XC) |
16:58 |
Main Line Invitational (9.18.2015) |
| 6000 Meters (XC) |
20:06.6 |
BIG EAST Championships (10.31.2015) |
BIG EAST TOP 8 FINISHES (17)
Indoor
2015 – 4x800 (1
st), 1000m (2
nd)
2016 – DMR (2
nd), 4x400 (4
th)
2017 – 800m (1
st), 4x400 (1
st), DMR (1
st)
2018 – 800m (1
st), 4x400 (1
st)
Outdoor
2015 – 1500m (2
nd), 4x400 (3
rd)
2016 – 800m (1
st), 4x800 (3
rd)
2017 – 1500m (1
st), 4x400 (1
st)
2018 – 800m (1
st), 4x400 (3
rd)
PENN RELAYS TITLES (8)
2015 – 4x800 (3
rd Leg), DMR (800m)
2016 – 4x1500 (Anchor)
2017 – 4x800 (Anchor), DMR (800m), 4x1500 (Anchor)
2018 – 4x800 (Anchor), DMR (1600m)
ATHLETIC AWARDS
Athletics Ireland U23 Athlete of the Year (2016)
USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women’s Track Athlete of the Year (Outdoor – 2017)
College Women’s Athlete of the Meet (Relay Events) (Penn Relays – 2017)
BIG EAST Championships Outstanding Track Performer (Indoor – 2017)
BIG EAST Championships Co-Outstanding Track Performer (Indoor – 2018)
BIG EAST Female Athlete of the Week (Cross Country – October 6, 2014)
BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (Indoor – January 30, 2017)
BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (Indoor – February 13, 2017)
BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (Outdoor – May 1, 2017)
BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (Outdoor – April 23, 2018)
ACADEMIC AWARDS
BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Award (2018)
Villanova University Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year (2018)
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2014, 2015, 2016)
(Cross Country)
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18)
(Track)
BIG EAST All-Academic Team (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18)
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Irish national champion in the 800 meters in June 2016 ... Won the title at the Glohealth National Senior Track and Field Championships in Santry, Ireland with a time of 2:04.72 ... Produced a margin of victory in the final of more than five seconds ... Her time of 2:17.83 in the preliminary heats was the fastest in the field entering the final ... Competed at the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands in July 2016 and had a time of 2:04.97 in the first round of the 800 meters ... That was the fastest time that did not move on to the semifinal round ... Put an impressive cap on her 2016 summer season at the British Milers Club Grand Prix on July 9 in Solihull, England when she ran a personal best time of 2:01.98 in the 800 meters ... Finished seventh at the European Athletics U23 Championships in Poland in July 2017 ... Earned an invitation to the IAAF World Championships in the 800 meters based on the descending order list of times for the current season.
2018 OUTDOOR
Earned All-America honors in the 800 meters for the third straight year, with her fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships a career best for the outdoor season … Won the BIG EAST title in the 800 meters for the second time in her career and ran on two of the Wildcats three winning relays at the Penn Relays; Named the BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week twice during the season;
Florida Relays (3/30): Opened the outdoor season with a time of 2:05.13 and a seventh place finish in the 800 meters … Ran the second leg of the 4x400 meter relay which came in 15
th in the preliminary heats with a time of 3:44.69;
Larry Ellis Invitational (4/20): Runner-up in the Elite section of the 1500 meters … Her time of 4:16.71 set a new personal best for an open race and earned her BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors;
Penn Relays (4/26, 4/28): Ran the anchor leg of the distance medley relay with a split of 4:36.09 and also anchored the 4x800 meter relay with a split of 2:02.63 … Helped the Wildcats complete their second straight “distance triple” with Championship of America titles in the three distance relays … Her efforts brought her career total of Penn Relays watches to eight, including three each in the DMR and the 4x800 relay … One of only two women’s athletes in school history to be a part of at least eight victories at the Penn Relays … Her split of 2:02.63 on the 4x800 relay was a personal best;
BIG EAST Championships (5/12-5/13): Individual conference champion in the 800 meters and anchored the 4x400 meter relay to a third place finish and All-BIG EAST honors … Helped the Wildcats emerge as the team champion at the conference meet … Posted a winning time of 2:05.52 in the final of the 800 meters after leading the field with a mark of 2:06.79 in the preliminary heats a day earlier … Led the 4x400 relay to a time of 3:46.45;
NCAA East Preliminary (5/24-5/25): Automatic qualifier through the national first round and quarterfinal heats of the 800 meters … Had the second-fastest overall time in both rounds, including a mark of 2:03.33 in the first round and then a time of 2:03.05 in the quarterfinal heats;
NCAA Championships (6/7, 6/9): Advanced to the national championship race in the 800 meters and held the lead in the final lap before tallying a fourth place finish, the best of her career at the outdoor NCAA meet … Posted a time of 2:05.73 in the final after advancing on time out of the national semifinal heats when she was clocked in 2:03.11.
2017-18 INDOOR
Runner-up at the NCAA Championships in the best individual finish of her career at an NCAA meet … Broke her own school record by more than half a second in the national championship race … Garnered her fourth career indoor All-America honor … Repeated as the BIG EAST champion in both the 800 meters and in the 4x400 meter relay, which she anchored for a second straight season … Shared Outstanding Track Performer honors at the BIG EAST Championships;
Jack Pyrah Invitational (12/2): Got an early start to the indoor season by running the 3000 meters for the only time in her collegiate career … Produced a time of 9:37.48 and finished third in the race at the first meet of the indoor campaign;
Columbia Challenge (1/26-1/27): Raced in the 800 meters and the distance medley relay … Finished seventh in the challenge section of the 800 meters with a time of 2:04.16 and was the top collegiate finisher in a section that included both college and professional runners … The night before that race had anchored the distance medley relay to a runner-up finish with a time of 11:11.76;
David Hemery Valentine Invitational (2/9): Placed seventh in the Mile with a time of 4:36.62;
BIG EAST Championships (2/23-2/24): Named the Co-Outstanding Track Performer at the Meet, an award she shared with an athlete from St. John’s … Set a meet record in the final of the 800 meters with a time of 2:03.89 … Helped the Wildcats win the BIG EAST team title by defending her individual conference crown in the 800 meters and anchoring the 4x400 meter relay squad to a championship … Had the fastest time in the field in the preliminary heats of the 800 meters with a mark of 2:12.07 … Had a split of 54.18 on the anchor leg of the 4x400 relay … Villanova posted a winning time of 3:42.01 in the relay and notched the third-fastest indoor time in school history;
NCAA Championships (3/9-3/10): Runner-up in the national championship race of the 800 meters … Broke her own indoor school record with a time of 2:02.46 in the final … Had set the previous mark of 2:02.97 more than a year earlier … Was an automatic qualifier for the final after finishing second overall in the preliminary heats with a time of 2:03.55.
2017 CROSS COUNTRY
Earned All-BIG EAST honors for the fourth straight year and was the second Villanova runner across the finish line at the NCAA Championships;
BIG EAST Championships (10/28): Came in 18
th overall and earned second team All-BIG EAST recognition … Had a time of 21:09.8 over 6,000 meters and helped the Wildcats win their record 15
th conference title;
NCAA Championships (11/18): Placed 88
th overall and was second in the Villanova lineup with a time of 20:37.4 on the 6,000 meter championship course.
2017 OUTDOOR
Named the Mid-Atlantic Women’s Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) … Chosen as the College Women’s Athlete of the Meet for the relay events at the Penn Relays after running a leg on all three of Villanova’s winning distance relays … An honorable mention All-American in the 800 meters and a BIG EAST champion in both the 1500 meters and the 4x400 meter relay … Set a collegiate personal best in the 800 meters and an overall PR for a 4x400 meter relay split during the season;
Florida Relays (3/31): Finished third in the 800 meters in 2:03.07 in her first outdoor race of the season;
Hurricane Alumni Invitational (4/8): Anchored the 4x400 meter relay with a personal split of 52.6, helping Villanova finish third in the relay with a time of 3:39.74 which ranks as the 10
th-fastest in school history;
Penn Relays (4/27-4/29): Helped Villanova complete a rare distance triple with Championship of America titles in all three of the meet’s distance relays … Ran a leg on all three of those relays and was named the College Women’s Athlete of the Meet for the relay events … Ran the 800 meter leg of the distance medley relay with a split of 2:05.78 … Anchored the 4x1500 meter relay with a personal best split of 4:11.6 … That split would have been the fastest time in the nation had it come in an open race … Also anchored the 4x800 meter relay with a split of 2:04.10;
BIG EAST Championships (5/12-5/13): Conference champion in the 1500 meters and the 4x400 meter relay … Led the field in the preliminary heats of the 1500 meters with a time of 4:28.25, then won the final in 4:28.17 a day later … Anchored the 4x400 meter relay squad, with her split of 54.48 helping Villanova post a winning time of 3:44.34 in the relay;
NCAA East Preliminary (5/25/-5/26): Advanced to the national championships in the 800 meters … Produced the fastest overall time in the national quarterfinal heats, when she was clocked in 2:02.11 … That mark was her fastest career time to come during the collegiate regular season, trailing only the mark of 2:01.98 she ran in England the previous summer … Posted a time of 2:07.52 in the national first round heats on the first night of the meet to move on to the quarterfinal round;
NCAA Championships (6/8): Competed in the national semifinal heats of the 800 meters, placing 20
th overall in 2:07.14 to earn honorable mention All-America recognition.
2017 INDOOR
First team All-American in the Mile … Was the BIG EAST champion in the 800 meters, as well as in both the 4x400 meter relay and the distance medley relay … Selected as the Outstanding Track Performer at the conference championships … Broke her own indoor school record in the 800 meters during the season;
Gotham Cup (1/20): Opened the indoor season by winning the 800 meters in 2:08.27;
Columbia East-West Challenge (1/27-1/28): Ran the 800 meters in 2:02.97 to break the indoor school record of 2:03.74 she had set the previous season … Was the runner-up in the race, and also anchored the distance medley relay squad to a second place finish with a time of 11:07.90 one night earlier … Earned BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors for her performance at the meet;
FastTrack National Invitational (2/10): Tallied a first place finish in the Mile and established a new personal best with a time of 4:33.16 … Her time was the fastest in the nation at the time of the race and earned her a berth at the NCAA Championships later in the year … Named the BIG EAST Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after her performance at the meet;
BIG EAST Championships (2/24-2/25): Named the Outstanding Track Performer after winning the 800 meters and leading Villanova to conference titles in both the distance medley relay and the 4x400 meter relay … Had the fastest time in the field in both the preliminary heats (2:12.16) and the final (2:06.63) of the 800 meters … Led off the DMR with a split of 3:18 over 1200 meters, giving Villanova a big early lead and paving the way for the Wildcats to finish with a winning time of 11:01.14 which secured their NCAA Championships berth in the relay … Also ran a split of 54 seconds and change on the anchor leg of the 4x400 meter relay and helped Villanova win the relay with a time of 3:42.06;
NCAA Championships (3/10-3/11): Advanced to the final of the Mile and finished eighth to earn first team All-America honors for the first time in her career … Produced a time of 4:34.78 in the final after ranking sixth in the preliminary heats with a time of 4:35.79.
2016 CROSS COUNTRY
Earned first team All-BIG EAST and Mid-Atlantic All-Region honors for the third straight year … Was first or second in the Villanova lineup in all five of her starts;
Paul Short Run (10/1): Came in sixth overall in the gold race with a season-best time of 20:17 over 6,000 meters;
Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational (10/14): Placed 32
nd in a field of more than 200 runners a time of 20:45.9;
BIG EAST Championships (10/28): Runner-up to teammate Angel Piccirillo and crossed the finish line in 20:57.7 in the best conference finish of her career;
NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (11/11): Led the Wildcats with a seventh place overall finish and a time of 20:39.3 … Helped Villanova finish second in the team standings and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships;
NCAA Championships (11/19): Recorded a time of 20:46.4 at the national meet and finished 85
th overall.
2016 OUTDOOR
Advanced to the NCAA Championships outdoors for the first time in her career … Was the BIG EAST individual champion in the 800 meters and won a Penn Relays title as part of the team’s 4x1500 meter relay;
Hurricane Alumni Invitational (4/9): Came in eighth in the 400 meters with a time of 55.97 and ran the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay in a lineup that came in 11
th with a time of 3:55.82;
Larry Ellis Invitational (4/22): Runner-up in the elite section of the 800 meters … Her time of 2:03.52 was a season best;
Penn Relays (4/28-4/29): Ran legs on both the distance medley relay and the 4x1500 meter relay … Anchored the 4x1500 relay with a split of 4:21.7 and pulled away in the final 250 meters to help Villanova win a Championship of America title in the relay … Led off the distance medley relay a day earlier and had a split of 3:28.14 as Villanova finished third in the relay in 11:21.77;
BIG EAST Championships (5/13-5/14): Won the conference title in the 800 meters and produced a winning time of 2:06.82 in the final … Also led the field with a time of 2:08.09 in the preliminary heats … Anchored the 4x800 meter relay squad to a third place finish and a time of 8:56.05 to earn All-BIG EAST honors;
NCAA East Preliminary (5/26-5/27): Advanced through the national first round and quarterfinal heats in the 800 meters to reach the NCAA Championships … Came in 13
th overall in the first round with a time of 2:06.04 and lowered that mark to 2:03.72 to finish fifth overall in the national quarterfinal round;
NCAA Championships (6/9): Was the first Villanova women’s runner since 2008 to advance to the outdoor NCAA Championships in the 800 meters … Placed 10
th overall in the national semifinal heats with a time of 2:04.72 to earn second team All-America honors.
2016 INDOOR
Qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 800 meters … Broke the indoor school record in the 800 meters, setting a new mark with a time of 2:03.74 which she herself would break two more times later in her collegiate career;
Great Dane Classic (1/16): Opened the indoor season by coming in second in the 1000 meters with a time of 2:49.13 … Also ran the second leg of the 4x400 meter relay for a relay squad which posted a time of 4:01.06;
Penn State National (1/30): Recorded a personal best time of 1:12.60 along the way to winning the invitational section of the 500 meters … Also ran the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay and helped Villanova post a time of 3:49.68 to finish third in the race;
Villanova Invitational (2/6): Broke the indoor school record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:03.74 … Finished second in the race and eclipsed the Wildcats previous standard of 2:04.69 which had been set nearly 28 years earlier;
BIG EAST Championships (2/26-2/27): Ran legs on both the 4x400 meter relay and the distance medley relay … Helped the Wildcats earn All-BIG EAST honors with a second place finish in the DMR … Ran the 400 meter leg of the race and Villanova eventually posted a time of 11:26.12 … Also ran the second leg of the 4x400 meter relay which finished fourth in 3:48.40 … Had the fastest time in the preliminary heats of the 800 meters, crossing the finish line in 2:09.60;
NCAA Championships (3/11): Came in ninth in the preliminary heats of the 800 meters in 2:04.73 and earned second team All-America recognition.
2015 CROSS COUNTRY
Competed six times during the season, earning both first team All-BIG EAST accolades and Mid-Atlantic All-Region recognition … Was the top Wildcats runner at both the NCAA Championships and the Pre-NCAA Meet;
Main Line Invitational (9/18): Opened the season with an eighth place individual finish and recorded a time of 16:58 over three miles on the Alumni Course at Haverford College;
Princeton Interregional Meet (10/3): Tallied a 10
th place finish with a time of 21:12.8 over 6,000 meters;
Pre-NCAA Meet (10/17): Came in 28
th in the red race and led the team with a time of 20:33.2;
BIG EAST Championships (10/31): Finished ninth at the conference meet, where her time of 20:06.6 was a personal best for a 6,000 meter course;
NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (11/13): Recorded a 17
th place finish with a time of 21:25.2;
NCAA Championships (11/21): Came in 113
th overall at the national meet with a time of 20:56.7.
2015 OUTDOOR
Ran legs on a pair of Championship of America winning relays at the Penn Relays and also earned BIG EAST honors in both the 1500 meters and as part of the Wildcats lineup in the 4x400 meter relay … Competed at a total of seven meets during the season;
Colonial Relays (4/3): Came in fourth in the seeded section of the 1500 meters with a time of 4:22.56 in the first outdoor race of her collegiate career …
Hurricane Alumni Invitational (4/11): Came in third in the 800 meters in 2:06.76 and ran the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay which came in fourth with a time of 3:44.91;
Penn Relays (4/23, 4/25): In her debut at the Penn Relays ran legs on the Championship of America winning distance medley and 4x800 meter relays … Ran the 800 meter leg of the DMR with a split of 2:09.91 as the Wildcats finished with a winning time of 11:09.06 … Ran the third leg of the 4x800 relay and lowered her split to 2:07.83 en route to Villanova winning the race in 8:26.36;
BIG EAST Championships (5/8-5/9): Runner-up in the 1500 meters and also earned All-BIG EAST honors as part of the 4x400 meter relay … Had the second-fastest time (4:27.08) in the preliminaries of the 1500 meters and lowered her mark to 4:21.45 to finish second in the final … Ran the second leg of the 4x400 meter relay in which the Wildcats placed third in 3:41.83;
ECAC Championship (5/16): Competed in the preliminary heats of the 800 meters and ranked fifth overall with a time of 2:05.66;
NCAA East Preliminary (5/28-5/29): Advanced to the national quarterfinal round of the 800 meters … Produced a time of 2:06.06 in the first round heats to come in sixth overall … Had a season-best time of 2:05.14 in the national quarterfinal round and placed 13
th overall;
New Jersey International Invitational (6/6): Wrapped up her first collegiate season by finishing second in the Joetta Clark section of the 800 meters with a time of 2:06.79.
2015 INDOOR
Was part of a BIG EAST title in the 4x800 meter relay and earned individual All-BIG EAST honors in the 1000 meters … Set a school record in the 600 meters in the first indoor race of her collegiate career;
Metro Team Challenge (1/23): Ran the 600 meters in her first race of the season and set a school record which still stands with a time of 1:31.55 … Finished first in the invitational section of the race … Also ran the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay and helped Villanova place fourth in the race with a time of 3:51.19;
Penn State National (1/31): Came in third in the invitational section of the 800 meters in 2:09.55 … Anchored the 4x400 meter relay squad to a time of 4:05.63;
Iowa State Classic (2/14): Came in 10
th in the 800 meters with a season-best time of 2:08.04;
BIG EAST Championships (2/28-3/1): Runner-up in the 1000 meters with a personal best time of 2:47.25 in the final … Had led the field of competitors in the preliminary heats when she crossed the finish line in 2:48.77 … Ran the third leg of the 4x800 meter relay which won a conference title with a winning time of 8:33.94.
2014 CROSS COUNTRY
Garnered All-BIG EAST and Mid-Atlantic All-Region honors;
Washington Invitational (10/4): Made her collegiate debut as the team’s top finisher at a Washington meet stacked with several nationally-ranked teams … Finished 17
th overall with a time of 20:54 over 6,000 meters and was named the BIG EAST Female Athlete of the Week for her performance;
Princeton Invitational (10/18): Came in eighth in the championship race with a time of 21:54;
BIG EAST Championships (10/31): Led the team with a 12
th place finish and a time of 21:17.5 at the conference meet … Was the Wildcats line all-conference performer;
NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (11/14): Second in the Villanova lineup finished 17
th overall to earn Mid-Atlantic All-Region accolades … Recorded a time of 21:10 on the 6,000 meter course at Penn State.
COLAISTE IOSAGAIN
Holds a record six consecutive National Schools Cross Country titles from 2009-14 ... Was unbeaten in six years of competitive schools competition ... 2014 National Schools U19 1500 meters champion ... Holds the National Schools U19 800 meters record (2:03.81) ... 2012 National Schools U17 800 meters and 1500 meters champion ... 2012 National Schools U17 800 meters record holder (2:10.32) ... 2011 Tailteann Games 800 meters record holder (2:07.78) ... 2011 National Schools U17 1500 meters Gold Medalist ... 2010 National Schools U15 1500 meters record holder (4:28.10) ... 2010 SIAB International Championships Silver Medalist, Scotstoun ... 2009 National Schools U15 1500 meters Gold Medalist ... Also lettered in gaelic football ... Earned her junior certificate -- all honors.
PERSONAL
Born 7/21/95 in Dublin, Ireland ... Parents are Merv Buttner and Fiona Cleirigh ... Siblings are Aifric and Fionn ... Communication major.
