MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Junior Ceili McCabe of the West Virginia University track and field team earned All-American honors for the third consecutive year in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.
“Tonight was a very special run for Ceili,” coach Sean Cleary said. “The two that beat her ran incredible races, but for Ceili, she was nearly perfect.”
McCabe secured her second-consecutive third place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase finals with a time of 9:41.32. Saturday’s effort is good enough for her season best. The 2023 National Championships were hosted by the University of Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
“While we were hoping for more until a few weeks ago, with a number of setbacks over the last 11 days, we are incredibly thrilled with this race,” Cleary added. “Sometimes runners need to readjust their goals at the last minute and refocus on a new level of excellence; Ceili did that tonight.”
Saturday marked the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, native’s second consecutive year with three All-American honors. She also has secured seven total All-American medals in her West Virginia career. The only other Mountaineers to earn All-American honors three times in the same year for at least one year are Marie-Louise Asselin, Clara Grandt and Keri Bland.
McCabe earned fourth overall in the semifinals with a time of 9:48.53. Her personal best in the event came when she took third for the first time in the 2022 outdoor championships, crossing the finish line at 9:31.14.
Her first All-American this year came at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Cross Country National Championships. She completed the race in 20:03.2. At the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, she took sixth in the 3,000-meter race with a time of 9:16.05.
“Ceili has been to five NCAA Track and Field Championships between indoors and outdoors and earned All-American honors in each of those five,” Cleary said. “We should all be very proud of this young lady.”