Renee Graham
THIS YEAR: A high impact newcomer, Renee Graham was a key member of Azusa Pacific’s national championship cross country team and figures to bolster the Cougars’ opportunities to score in distance races in the NAIA track championships … Strong runner who is likely to focus on the steeplechase but can excel in the 5000 and 10,000 … Will press for Azusa Pacific’s first-ever NAIA title in the steeple … Has only outdoor eligibility remaining.
CROSS COUNTRY: As Azusa Pacific’s No. 3 runner, helped lead the Cougars to their first-ever NAIA national championship during the fall of 2008 … Earned All-America honors by finishing 11th at the NAIA meet with a 5K time of 17:44 … Posted a career-best 5K of 17:31 to finish third at the GSAC championships (behind teammates Jacky Kipwambok and Jaime Canterbury) to help lead the Cougars to their second straight GSAC crown … Finished fourth or better in the 4 of the 6 meets in which she competed.
LAMAR: Ran 3 seasons of track & field at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, competing in all the distance events ranging from the 1500 meters to the 10,000, including the steeplechase ... Posted personal bests of 10:00.49 (3000), 10:33.67 (steeplechase), 16:34.89 (5000), and 36:12.86 (10,000), all among the all-time top 4 times in Lamar history ... Was a 2-time Southland Conference indoor 5000-meter champ, and as a 2007 junior won the Southland outdoor 10,000 title … Also ran 3 seasons of cross country … Qualified for 3 straight NCAA Division I championship meets, finishing in the top 130 each time ... Posted an NCAA championship meet personal-best time of 21:45 over the 6K course at the 2007 meet in Terre Haute, Ind. ... Was a 3-time Southland Conference runner-up while leading the Cardinals to a pair of conference titles ... As a 2006 sophomore, was third at the NCAA regional with a personal-best 20:42.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Sacred Heart High in Hawera, New Zealand.
PERSONAL: Born Nov. 4, 1986 in Hawera, New Zealand ... Mother is Diane Graham... Has 1 brother (Daniel) ... Majoring in exercise & sport science ... Hopes to one day compete in the Commonwealth Games.
