Iowa State’s Lisa Koll sets NCAA record in 10,000 meters at Stanford Invitational

Koll sets NCAA mark in 10,000 meters

STANFORD, Calif. — Iowa State’s Lisa Koll set an NCAA record in the women’s 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational on Friday night.

Koll finished in 31 minutes, 18.07 seconds, breaking the mark of 31:25.45 by former NCAA champion Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech who did it in 2008.

“It’s surreal,” Koll said. “She’s (Kipyego) is someone who I always looked up to when I was running. She was untouchable. To be breaking a record that was hers, it means a lot more to me.”

Corey Ihmels, Koll’s coach, said he knew she was fit, but didn’t believe the race, the competitors or the pace would be conducive for a record-setting night.

“For her to actually and do it, I don’t think I expected it to happen,” Ihmels said.

Koll realized with a mile to go that she had a chance to break the record.

“I just needed to sustain the pace that I had,” she said, “and I knew I’d do it.”

Koll also won the 5,000 at the NCAA indoor track and field championships in Fayetteville, Ark., earlier this month.