LeDuc wins national championship

LA CROSSE, Wis., May 25, 2013 – Canton’s Michael LeDuc is a NCAA national champion. 

Canton’s Michael LeDuc of Connecticut College

LeDuc, who runs for Connecticut College, held off top-seeded Jack Davies of Middlebury at the finish line to win the 3,000 meter steeplechase by 0.08 of a second Saturday at the NCAA Division III national championship meet. 

He won the race with a school-record time of 8:50.58. 

“I’m kind of shocked that it happened,” LeDuc said. “I knew that Davies was going to catch me and he did. He’s just a great closer. I just tried to get out to a lead.

“When he closed in on me and took the lead I was trying to hold on for dear life and I was able to give it that last burst at the end,” LeDuc said. “But Jack and I had the best two times coming in. I was confident that if I ran my best, he would be the only guy who could keep up with me.” 

Before that final frenetic finish, LeDuc hit the last barrier on the course but was able to regain his balance and make that last push for the victory. It was the first time he had hit a barrier all year. 

LeDuc’s time was the fastest time in the country this year and the seventh fastest finish in Division III history. 

“At the end of last season, we had set goals for Mike to win a national championship and to run 8:50 or better in the steeple. He accomplished both of those objectives,” said Jim Butler, an assistant coach with the Conn College track team and the head coach in cross country for the Camels. 

LeDuc credited his coaches for everything that they have done to prepare him for championship competition. 

“My high school coach Tim O’Donnell and Coach Butler have both been terrific at motivating me so it was really a seamless transition for me when I started running at Connecticut College,” LeDuc said. “I could not have done this without the support and guidance I received from coach O’Donnell, coach Butler and coach Bishop.” 

LeDuc is the third Connecticut College athlete to win a national championship and the first since Alex Samma won the triple jump at the 2009 NCAA Division III indoor track championship meet. Kate Kovenock won a NCAA title in the 50 freestyle at the 2004 Division III swimming championship meet. 

LeDuc also ran in the finals of the 5,000 meters Saturday, finishing 18^th with a time of 14:56.11. 

It’s been a great spring for LeDuc, who is majoring in botany. He was second in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Sam Howell Distance Invitational at Princeton with a time of 8:54.80, a school record at the time. He defended his New England Division III title in the 5,000 meters at Colby College in Maine early in May with a time of 14:30.03. 

With the win, LeDuc earns All-American honors for the fifth time in his career. He earned All-American honors earlier this year by taking fourth in the 5,000 meters at the 2013 NCAA Div. III indoor track and field championships. He took 13^th at the 2012 NCAA Div. III cross country national championships, finished fourth in the 3,000 steeplechase at the 2012 Div. III outdoor championship meet and sixth in the same event at the 2011 Div. III outdoor track championships.