Alissa Niggemann didn’t run her best time of the season in the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Saturday, but it was plenty fast enough.
The sophomore from Amherst covered the course in 10 minutes, 6.13 seconds to easily win the title at the Big Ten Conference outdoor track and field championships in Iowa City, Iowa.
Niggemann finished more than seven seconds ahead of runner-up Karrigan Smith of Michigan State to become the first UW woman to win a Big Ten title in the event. UW freshman Lucinda Crouch was fourth in 10:17.03.
UW senior Trent Nytes finished fifth in the decathlon with 7,261 points and senior Kelsey Sullivan was seventh in the heptathlon (4,966).