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The University of Utah Athletics
Plourde and Venters Named All-Americans; Denis Earns Honorable Mention
6/12/2023 12:36 PM | Track & Field
Utah’s Simone Plourde and Emily Venters were officially announced All-Americans by the USTFCCCA.
NEW ORLEANS – Simone Plourde and Emily Venters of the Utah track & Field team were officially named All-Americans while Dinedye Denis picked up honorable mention honors by the USTFCCCA for their performances at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend.
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The duo combined for four All-America awards, equaling the combined total of the previous seven seasons (including the cancelled season due to COVID-19). Additionally, the 16 points eared by Utah tied it for 15th overall in the team standings with USC – which was the highest total and finish in program history. Additionally, the Utes were tied for the second-highest finisher among Pac-12 teams with the Trojans at the championships.
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Venters, who arguably had one of the best seasons in program history, garnered two First-Team All-America honors to close out her collegiate career. The Lawrence, Kan., native first took national runner-up honors in the 10000m race with a mark of 32:47.70 for the best finish by a Woman of Utah at the championships while her 10k was the fastest by any Ute. She then followed up with a third-place finish in the 5000m 48 hours later with a run of 15:42.40 – which was also the best finish and time for a Ute in that race at the championships.
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The last Ute to garner two first-team awards in the same championships was Jill Molen back in 1982 – the inaugural year the NCAA Championships were held on the women side. Venters is just the third Woman of Utah to earn multiple first-team accolades in her career, joining Grayson Murphy (2017-18, steeplechase) and Molen (1982, 5k/10k). Meanwhile, Venters is the only Ute to have three first-team distinctions to her name between the indoor and outdoor season.
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Plourde also saw herself cemented into program history this past weekend when she earned two All-America awards. The Montreal, Canada, product first took home Second-Team All-America honors in the 1500m race after running a 4:11.91 – the fastest time at championships to not qualify for the finals. Plourde then went out and took home first-team honors in the 5000m race after crossing the finish line in seventh with a mark of 15:50.10.
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Her and Venters joins Murphy, Amanda Mergaert as the only Utes to have three or more All-America accolades in their career. Mergaert, who was recently named to the 2023 Utah Athletics Hall of Fame class, is the only four-time All-American at Utah with two first-team and two second-team honors.
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Like her teammates, Denis also competed at the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career and earned herself Honorable Mention distinction after placing 18th-overall in the 400m hurdles (57.73).
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The duo of Plourde and Venters concluded the season becoming just the second pair of Utes to earn multiple All-America awards in the same championships since Molen (NCAA) and Carla Pittelkow (AIAW) to do so in 1982.
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For the latest news and information on the Utah cross country and track & field programs, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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The duo combined for four All-America awards, equaling the combined total of the previous seven seasons (including the cancelled season due to COVID-19). Additionally, the 16 points eared by Utah tied it for 15th overall in the team standings with USC – which was the highest total and finish in program history. Additionally, the Utes were tied for the second-highest finisher among Pac-12 teams with the Trojans at the championships.
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Venters, who arguably had one of the best seasons in program history, garnered two First-Team All-America honors to close out her collegiate career. The Lawrence, Kan., native first took national runner-up honors in the 10000m race with a mark of 32:47.70 for the best finish by a Woman of Utah at the championships while her 10k was the fastest by any Ute. She then followed up with a third-place finish in the 5000m 48 hours later with a run of 15:42.40 – which was also the best finish and time for a Ute in that race at the championships.
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The last Ute to garner two first-team awards in the same championships was Jill Molen back in 1982 – the inaugural year the NCAA Championships were held on the women side. Venters is just the third Woman of Utah to earn multiple first-team accolades in her career, joining Grayson Murphy (2017-18, steeplechase) and Molen (1982, 5k/10k). Meanwhile, Venters is the only Ute to have three first-team distinctions to her name between the indoor and outdoor season.
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Plourde also saw herself cemented into program history this past weekend when she earned two All-America awards. The Montreal, Canada, product first took home Second-Team All-America honors in the 1500m race after running a 4:11.91 – the fastest time at championships to not qualify for the finals. Plourde then went out and took home first-team honors in the 5000m race after crossing the finish line in seventh with a mark of 15:50.10.
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Her and Venters joins Murphy, Amanda Mergaert as the only Utes to have three or more All-America accolades in their career. Mergaert, who was recently named to the 2023 Utah Athletics Hall of Fame class, is the only four-time All-American at Utah with two first-team and two second-team honors.
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Like her teammates, Denis also competed at the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career and earned herself Honorable Mention distinction after placing 18th-overall in the 400m hurdles (57.73).
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The duo of Plourde and Venters concluded the season becoming just the second pair of Utes to earn multiple All-America awards in the same championships since Molen (NCAA) and Carla Pittelkow (AIAW) to do so in 1982.
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For the latest news and information on the Utah cross country and track & field programs, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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