SPU: Four-year letterwinner. ... Three-time All-GNAC in 10,000 meters (2010, 2011, 2012). ... Three-time GNAC All-Academic (2010, 2011, 2012). ... Three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District (2010, 2011, 2012; first team in 2011 and 2012). ... All-GNAC indoor and USTFCCCA All-West Region indoor in 5,000 meters (2011, 2012).
Senior (2012): INDOOR – Placed 2nd in the 5,000 meters at GNAC Championships in 17:50.86, combining with teammate Heidi Laabs-Johnson for a 1-2 Falcons finish. ... Ran the anchor leg (1,600) on SPU's third-place 4,000 distance medley relay team at GNAC. ... Ran the indoor mile for the first time in college, going 5:18.30 at the UW Indoor Open on Feb. 12. ... Set a personal best of 17:34.55 in the 5,000 at the UW Invitational on Jan. 27. ... Set a 3,000-meter personal best at season-opening UW Indoor Preview on Jan. 14 at 10:21.48, more than six seconds faster than her previous PR. OUTDOOR – Placed 3rd in 10,000 meters and 5th in 5,000 meters at GNAC Championships. In the 5K, teamed with fellow Falcons senior Heidi Laabs-Johnson to break up a seven-runner Alaska Anchorage pack that gave SPU a total of nine points toward its eventually conference crown. ... NCAA provisional qualifier in the 10,000 with a PR time of 36:29.55 at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 19. ... Also ran 1,500 and 3,000 during the regular season.
Junior (2011): INDOOR – 2nd in 5,000 meters at GNAC Championships. ... Ran 7th in the 5,000 at UW Invitational. ... Competed in just two indoor meets while healing from a foot injury. OUTDOOR – Placed 2nd in the 10,000 meters at GNAC, temporarily taking the lead from Western Washington's Sarah Porter late in the race before Porter surged back in front. ... Ran in the 1,500 and in one 5,000-meter race in her other outdoor meets prior to GNAC. ... Established an indoor 5,000 personal best of 17:34.55 at the UW Invitational on Jan. 27.
Sophomore (2010): INDOOR – 5th in 5,000 meters (17:56.47) at GNAC Championships. ... Ran just two races altogether, taking second in the 3,000 meters at Pilot Invitational, with her 10:27.93 turning into a 5,000-meter qualifying time for GNACs. OUTDOOR – NCAA D-2 provisional qualifier in 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. ... 2nd in 10,000 meters at GNAC Championships.
Freshman (2009): OUTDOOR – Logged an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 17:30.90 in the 5,000 meters at the season-ending Ken Foreman-Ken Shannon Invitational. That was nearly 16 seconds faster than her previous best of 17:46.69 set at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival in late March. ... Won the 5,000 in 17:58.76 at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational. ... Also won the 3,000 at the season-opening UPS Outdoor Preview, and ran the 1,500 four times. INDOOR – Earned an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 17:50.50 in the 5,000 meters as she took third place at the GNAC Championships in her first try at the indoor 5K. ... Ran the 3,000 in two other meets.
Personal: Natalie Josephine Elizabeth Plunkett. ... Born July 4, 1990. ... Psychology major.
Fun facts: Led Newport High School of Bellevue to the Class 3A Washington state cross country championship as a senior in 2007, finishing fifth individually and first for Newport. ... Speaks Spanish, was in a Spanish immersion program from grades K-12. ... Enjoys cross country skiing. ... Played rec soccer for seven years. ... Favorite sport to watch is gymnastics. ... Favorite books are "Petey," "Harry Potter," and "Chronicles of Narnia." ... Loves dark chocolate truffles. ... Has traveled three times to Mexico, twice to Costa Rica and once to Panama. ... Would like to practice family social work in Latin America.
INDOOR PERSONAL BESTS
Mile: 5:18.30 (2012)
3,000: 10:21.48(2012)
5,000: 17:34.55 (2012)
OUTDOOR PERSONAL BESTS
1,500: 4:51.20 (2012)
3,000: 10:14.12 (2010)
5,000: 17:24.43 (2010)
10,000: 36:29.55 (2012)
