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GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Senior Mia Symoniak and junior Tony Dipre will compete at this weekend's National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Track & Field Championships, hosted by DePauw.
Symoniak is slated to take part in the women's 5,000-meter run. Last week, she shattered Allegheny College and conference meet records in the event, crossing the finish line in 17:19.82. The time was only a provisional qualifier, but the NCAA eventually included Symoniak in the 15-runner championship field.
The national experience will be Symoniak's third. In 2007, she placed 142nd as the top Allegheny women's runner at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Symoniak also took part in the 10,000 at the 2009 Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where she finished 16th.
Dipre will run the men's mile at the NCAA Championships. Like Symoniak, he won an NCAC championship while breaking school and meet records. Dipre's time was an automatic qualifier (4:10.84).
Dipre is no stranger to the national scene. He hopes to claim his third All-America honor -- and second in the indoor mile. Last season, Dipre placed eighth with a time of 4:11.07. He has also participated at Cross Country Nationals, finishing 151st, 25th (All-American) and 66th in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively.
Twelve runners will compete in the mile during Friday's prelimaries and 10 will advance to Saturday's final. Nick Guarino of Fredonia has recorded the top time in D-III this season (4:09.10). Dipre is ranked sixth in the race while his runner-up at NCACs, Denison's Makorobondo Salukombo (4:12.23), is rated seventh.
The 5,000 will be run only once. That heat will take place on Saturday. Kerry Arouca of Westfield State has the nation's top time (17:03.41). Symoniak is ranked 11th while Joanna Johnson of Oberlin, who did not compete in the 5K at NCACs, is 12th (17:21.21).