Pirinelli Wins NCAA Outdoor Shot Put Title
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Courtesy Baldwin WallaceSaint Senior Alyssa Pirinelli won her second NCAA shot put title of the year on Friday
St. Lawrence University senior Alyssa Pirinelli won her second national championship of the 2009-10 track and field season on Friday, taking the title in the NCAA Division III outdoor shot put with a throw of 14.50 meters (47-7).
Pirinelli, who also won the NCAA indoor shot put title in March, joins junior Wendy Pavlus as the first Saint women to win two NCAA championships in the same year. Her winning throw equals her SLU outdoor record which was set earlier this month in the Twilight Qualifier Meet at the Merrick Pinkard Track.
“It feels pretty good to end my career on a positive note with both the indoor and outdoor national championships! It’s been a battle for four years. I have had great coaching here at St. Lawrence for four years and that truly helped me," she said following the event.
She went into the finals of the event in third place with a best qualifying throw of 14.29 meters and won the championship on her final throw, edging Wisconsin-Oskosh freshman Jecel Gerner by .12 meters. Pirinelli is now a seven-time All America in the shot put with two titles, two seconds and two third place finishes between indoor and outdoor championships.
“My first five attempts of the day were average at best. I knew the other competitors were going out there were throwing right around the 14-meter mark. Many of the competitors had already reached that 14-meter mark by the time I was ready for my last throw. So, I knew going into my last throw I would need to improve on their throws. I didn’t know how far it went when I made my last throw, and when it landed, I looked at the mark, and then I looked at my coach, and I was like, it’s not far enough, it’s just not far enough. The officials set the mark, and I was like oh my gosh!!! I just couldn’t believe it. My first five were average at best, so it was a thrill!”