Hannan eclipses last year’s championship mark achieved by Mooney by more than 17 seconds, placing fifth in race won by Simpson

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

As the indoor season has progressed for Ithaca College junior Parley Hannan, a new personal best or program record has seemed inevitable every time she has stepped on the track.

It was no different Friday night at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University’s Track and Tennis Center, only this performance carried a lot more historical significance.

Hannan shattered the Division 3 national indoor 5,000-meter record, clocking 16 minutes, 5.36 seconds to place fifth.

The previous Division 3 record of 16:23.12 was set last year at the championship meet by Coast Guard’s Kaitlyn Mooney. The Ithaca record of 16:28.15 was set in 2017 by Taryn Cordani, who now ranks No. 4 in Division 3 indoor history.

Hannan, competing in her first full season of track, was the NCAA Division 3 cross country champion in November, winning the 6-kilometer title in 20:53.8.

A rookie in the sport, Erin Dinan, Ithaca’s head cross country and assistant track coach, said she had to explain to Hannan what having “rabbits” (pacers) in her race meant.

“She's going into this so incredibly inexperienced, and running phenomenal,” Dinan said. “To me, (that) is mind-blowing.”

Dinan said the original schedule Friday had Hannan bumped into the second section, but they spoke with the meet director and were able to move her based on her seed time to the fastest section.

“She ran probably most of the race in the outter of lane 1,” Dinan said. “There was so much competitiveness in the race, it was tough, but she didn’t let up, it was cool, it was so cool.”

Hannan’s previous personal best in the 5,000 was 16:44.57 two weeks earlier at the Ithaca Bomber Invitational.

Only Missy Buttry of Wartburg, the Division 3 outdoor record holder at 15:37.48, has ever run faster than Hannan in any 5,000 race in division history.

Jenny Simpson won the race in 14:58.67, achieving the Olympic standard.

Colorado standout Dani Jones took second in 15:17.11, elevating to the No. 9 all-time collegiate indoor performer, with teammate Makena Morley placing third in 15:26.22 to ascend to No. 19 in collegiate indoor history.

Boston College’s Emeline Delanis took fourth in 16:03.09, followed by Hannan, who ranks No. 21 among all collegiate athletes this season – regardless of division – in the event.

On Saturday, Hannan came back to anchor the Bombers’ distance medley relay to a fourth-place finish in 11:41.19.

The time was a school record and currently the fastest in Division 3. Hannan’s 1,600-meter split was 4:47.

“It was fun, she just rolled,” Dinan said.

Hannan shared her story with DyeStat earlier this year on how running has helped her thrive as she’s battled mental illness.

Dinan said they have not nailed down what Hannan will be focusing on come the championship portion of the season as her range allows her to be competitive from the mile to 5,000 and relays.

The idea of going sub-16 in the 5K is also on the radar.

“Sky is the limit,” Dinan said. “I think it (sub-16) would be incredible and absolutely doable.”

Next up for Ithaca will be the Liberty League Championships at the Rochester Institute of Technology on Feb. 28-29.