George Washington University Athletics
Cross Country Inks Three-Time Rhode Island State Champion
4/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
April 22, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - The George Washington University cross country program has signed three-time Rhode Island state champion Audrey Hawkins (Barrington, RI) to a National Letter of Intent, head coach Brian Beil announced on Friday, April 22. Hawkins, a three-time Junior Olympic All-American, will begin her eligibility at GW with the start of the Colonials' 2005 cross country season.
"What impresses me most about Audrey is despite her tremendous success in high school, she remains determined to improve so she'll be able to compete at the national level in college," Beil said. "It's rare to meet a runner like Audrey, who not only has a clear set of goals for her collegiate career, but also the right attitude to do what it takes to achieve them. Our entire program is excited she will join us in the Fall."
Hawkins has been a force in the state of Rhode Island in cross country, and in both indoor and outdoor track, since her freshman campaign at Barrington High School. She owns personal-bests of 2:28 in the 800m, 3:08 in the 1000m, 4:53 in the 1500m, 10:17 in the 3000m and 18:38 in the 5K.
As a senior this season, Hawkins has runner-up finishes to her credit in the 1000m (3:08.16) and 3000m (10:25.94) at the indoor state track championships, while also placing ninth in the two-mile run at the New England Championships with a time of 11:32.22.
As a junior, Hawkins arguably had her best year during the 2003-04 season. She claimed her first state crown with a first-place finish at the Rhode Island Cross Country Championships in the Fall, after earning a top-five finish the year before. During the indoor and outdoor track seasons, Hawkins added two more state titles to her resume. She won the 3000m at the indoor state championships, where she also placed third in the 1000m, while at the outdoor state meet, she completed her sweep in the 3000m with a personal-best 10:17 clocking.
In addition that season, Hawkins also claimed the Class `B' cross country, indoor 1000m and 1500m, and outdoor 3000m titles en route to finishing undefeated in her division in cross country for the second straight year, and in both the indoor and outdoor 3000 meters.
To Hawkins' credit, she never finished lower than 14th in her first three years at the state cross country championships. She also won four Class `B' indoor track titles in the 1000m, 1500m and 3000m, and four Class `B' outdoor track championships in the 800m and 3000m, while also finishing third as a member of the 4x800-meter relay twice.
