Meghan Armstrong, Mike Hanlon Join Team USA Minnesota

Minneapolis/St. Paul - Sept. 3, 2008 - Team USA Minnesota has added two more athletes to its training center roster. The distance runners include Meghan Armstrong , who recently concluded her collegiate career at the University of Iowa; and Mike Hanlon , who graduated from Colgate University in 2007. Both joined Team USA Minnesota on Sept. 1.

Armstrong, 22, who went to high school in Tualatin, Oregon, before running with the Hawkeyes, qualified for nine NCAA running championships, including three in cross country, three in indoor track and three in outdoor track. Her accomplishments include the Iowa school record holder in the 1500 meters (4:17.41), two-time All American in the mile (4:40.59), and an All American in cross country for finishing 16th at NCAA's, with her team placing 10th.

In addition, Armstrong is the 2008 Big 10 3000-meter champion (with a best of 9:17 in the 3000); and the 2008 Big 10 10,000-meter champion (with a best of 33:28 in the distance). She finished sixth in the 10,000 at NCAA's in June. Since graduation, Armstrong was a member of the NACAC under-23 team that competed in Mexico in July, placing first in the 10,000-meter race.

Hanlon, 23, a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was an individual qualifier from Colgate (Hamilton, New York) at NCAA cross country and NCAA track (in the 5000 meters). He was a three-time Patriot League champion on the track and a three time Patriot League top five in cross country. His collegiate bests include 3:48 in the 1500, 8:04 in the 3000 and 13:55 in the 5000.

As a professional runner, Hanlon competed at the 2008 USA 8k Championships where he finished 14th in a time of 23:26. He also ran 29:46 in the 10,000 last spring in his first attempt at the distance.

About Team USA Minnesota

Team USA Minnesota is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Formed in 2001, the purpose of the training center is to improve post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians. The athletes are coached by Dennis Barker, head cross country and track coach at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Team USA Minnesota's major sponsor is Life Time Fitness (www.lifetimefitness.com) and its silver sponsor is the Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. (www.mtcmarathon.org). It is also supported by the New York Road Runners and the USA Distance Project. For more information, visit the web site at www.teamusaminnesota.org.

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Contact:

Pat Goodwin

952-924-1081

pfgoodwin@teamusaminnesota.org

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www.teamusaminnesota.org