On October 13, cross country athlete Elinor Purrier ’17 finished a week of firsts by becoming the first Wildcat athlete to be named a National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Two days earlier, Purrier had broken the tape in the New England Championships women’s 5 kilometer race, pacing the team to overall top honors at the meet. Purrier’s time of 17:27 bested a field of 261 other runners from 39 schools competing on an unseasonably cold and rainy afternoon. Purrier is no stranger to the front of the pack, or to national honors. In July, the sophomore nutrition major major from Montgomery, Vt. placed ninth in the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Junior Championships in Eugene, Ore., the first UNH runner to compete in the event.
Originally published by:
UNH Magazine, Fall 2014 Issue
Photo by UNH Athletic Media Relations
