Only eight Ohio women's track runners, participating in a total of four events, traveled to Philadelphia this weekend for the Penn Relays, but the final result was much bigger.

Although nobody qualified for nationals, Melissa Converse broke the school record in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9 minutes, 34.74 seconds. Jackie Conrad held the previous record. Converse, who finished eighth in a pack of about 30 runners, missed the qualification time by seconds, Ohio head coach Elmore Banton said.

"She ran a very, very great race," Banton said. "She hung right in the middle of the pack and made a great move with two laps to go. She passed six or seven people. That record will stand for a long time."

Converse will have another opportunity to qualify for nationals at the Mid-American Conference Championships.

"The bad part about (that) is she won't be fresh for (that race)," Banton said.