MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Redshirt freshman Ceili McCabe of the West Virginia University track and field team completed competition at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with another school record time at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday night.
 
After finishing in sixth place with a time of 9:37.39 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase finals, McCabe took home her first outdoor track and field All-American Honors. 

Her time ranks as the 12th-fastest time in NCAA history. Seven of those top 12 times were recorded at the 2021 NCAA Championships.

"I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to rise to this level of competition at West Virginia," said redshirt freshman Ceili McCabe. "At the beginning of this year life was so up in the air and this meet seemed to be unrealistic. Should I make it back to this level in the future, I hope this experience will help me run even better. I am very happy with this performance."
 
McCabe advanced to the finals after a ninth place in the 3,000 meter steeplechase semifinals on Thursday, with a time of 9:39.27.

In her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut, McCabe broke the 3,000-meter steeplechase program school record for the third time in her career. She finished in sixth place in her heat.
 
"There is so much to say," said coach Sean Cleary. "Over the course of nine months, Ceili led her team to an NCAA Cross Country berth, Big 12 DMR Championship, the Big 12 Steeplechase title and in her final race of the year for WVU, she breaks the NCAA freshman record in the steeplechase while bringing home an NCAA All-American First Team Award. It is simply outstanding."  

The Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, native completed competition at her first career NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship. McCabe qualified for the NCAA nationals with a third-place finish at the NCAA East Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 29. Her winning time of 9:51.81 was a school record. 
 
McCabe helped lead the Mountaineers to their first-ever Big 12 Championship win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase competition at a conference meet. She ranks first in the Big 12 Conference in the event. 
 
"The experience that Ceili gained this year should prove valuable as she gets fitter and more seasoned within the event," said Cleary. "I have a sneaky suspicion that this is but the beginning of a very successful career in the steeplechase for Ceili."  
 
The Mountaineers concluded the 2020-21 campaign following Saturday's action.
 
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