Brookings, SD – Rute Simoes claims the sole All-American award for the women's track & field this indoor season on Saturday.

The rookie climbed from being the sixth automatic qualifier from the prelims on Friday to placing fifth on Saturday. Simoes posted a new career best time of 10:17.20, improving six seconds from the prelims on her way to All-American honors.

Simoes is the first Patriot individual All-American during the indoor season on the women's track & field team since Danielle Hoop in 2015 (1,000 meters). The first-year runner is the only in program history with honors in the 3,000 meters.
 
In Friday's semifinals, the Portugal native improved her previous best by three seconds to 10:23.57. The time moved her to the finals as the sixth automatic qualifier, placing third in heat two.

Simoes, ranked 27th in the 5,000 meters, previously showed big improvement in the event on day one of the championships. The first-year distance runner paced 18:03.19 through the finish line in the 25-lap race, placing 20th overall. Simoes capped her indoor season with a new career best mark, an improvement over her previous by over 25 seconds.
 
In Friday's 60-meter hurdles semifinals, Sarah Hunter closed out her junior indoor campaign clocking 9.29 down the stretch.
 
Rounding out the ladies on the track, Lisa Voyles clocked a 3:05.44 in the 1,000 meters on Friday, edging another best. The conference champion two weeks ago finished 14th overall against national competition.
 
The outdoor season begins for Cumberlands on March 20 and 21 at the Pioneer Invitational, held at Transylvania University in Lexington. 

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