Butler's Barry Keane, who will enter his third season in the Bulldogs' program, will represent Ireland in the upcoming European U23 Championships. Keane will compete in the 10,000 meters Thursday in Gavle, Sweden.

"We are excited to see Barry selected once again to represent Ireland in a major championship event," said Butler head coach Matt Roe. "Competing for your home country is the ultimate competitive honor. His selection was based on an impressive NCAA Outdoor campaign and strong current fitness. I am confident he will represent Ireland well with his customary toughness and commitment."

Featuring a mark of 29:12.14 from the 2019 outdoor season, Keane is ranked seventh among the 30-runner field. Keane's mark came at the Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State in late March. His 10,000-meter debut in Raleigh was the fifth-fastest time in Butler history. He would go on to win the outdoor BIG EAST 10,000 title and take 17th in the NCAA East semifinal in Jacksonville, Fla.
 
The 2019 European Athletics U23 Championships in Gavle will bring together more than 1,500 participants from 51 countries over four days of the championships (beginning Thursday and concluding Sunday).
 
Keane is no stranger to these championships, having also represented Ireland in the 2017 European U23 Championships. In 2017, Keane ran the 5,000 meters as the youngest man in the field, finishing 12th overall. His first European U23 championship appearance was in cross country in 2016, as he finished 46th overall while once again representing Ireland.