INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- Butler fans will have an added incentive
to follow the 2012 Summer Olympics, which begin in London, England,
July 27. Among the competitors in the marathon at this
summer's Games will be two former Butler track and field
standouts, Scott Overall and Ava Hutchinson.
Overall, who hails from London, England, will represent Great
Britain in the men's marathon on Sunday, August 12. He
topped the Olympic qualifying standard with a time of 2:10.55
at the BMW Berlin Marathon last September to earn a spot on the
Olympic Team. It was his first attempt at running a
marathon.
Hutchinson, a native of Dublin, Ireland, will compete in the
women's marathon on Sunday, August 5, for the Irish Olympic
Team. She earned her spot in this summer's Olympic
Games with a qualifying time of 2:35.33 at the Houston Marathon in
January. It was only her second marathon.
Overall was a top track and cross country performer at Butler from
2004 to 2007. He was named Horizon League Outdoor Track
Athlete of the Year in 2005 and again in 2006, and he was selected
as the league's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2006 and
2007. He also was chosen as Horizon League Cross Country
Athlete of the Year in 2006, after winning the league's
individual cross country title.
During his time at Butler, Overall represented the Bulldogs in NCAA
national meets in both track and cross country. He placed
11th in the 5,000 meter run at the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor
Track and Field Championship and 12th in the 3,000 meter run at the
2006 NCAA Indoor Championship. He also came in 35th at the
2006 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship, after placing
runner-up at the 2006 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Meet.
The former Butler distance ace owns school records in the indoor
3,000 meter run (7:55.36) and the outdoor 5,000 meter run
(13:38.19). He also holds Horizon League record for the
indoor 1,000 meter run (2:24.79) and the outdoor 5,000 meter run
(14:30.57).
Hutchinson, who ran on Butler's cross country squads from
2004 to 2006, was a first team All-Horizon League performer for
three consecutive years and was named Horizon League Cross Country
Athlete of the Year in 2006. That same year she captured the
Horizon League Cross Country individual championship and placed
11th at the NCAA Great Lakes Cross Country Regionals.
The talented Hutchinson also was a top performer on Butler's
track and field squads, 2005-07. She won a league individual
championship in the 1500 meter run at the 2006 Horizon League
Outdoor Track and Field Championship, and she was part of
Butler's winning distance medley relay team at the 2005
Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championship.
Hutchinson broke Butler's 1500 meter record twice in 2005,
including a record 4:20 (since broken) run at the 2005 NCAA
Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
Other Butler athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games
include 2005 graduate Victoria Mitchell (Australia, 2008
athletics), Kouty Mawenh '95 (Liberia, 1996 and 2000
athletics), Rilus Doolittle '25 (United States, 1924
athletics) and Herman Phillips '27 (United
States, 1928 athletics).