Villanova Pockets Another Prized Recruit In Delaware's Lydia Olivere


One of Delaware's best has authored her commitment to Villanova University. 

Padua Academy's Lydia Olivere, ranked No. 25 in the Flo50 national rankings, is another coup for the Wildcats, who landed national talents Rachel McArthur (Patriot, VA) and Alex Harris (North Rockland, NY) in the class of 2017. 

Villanova's women's program, coached by Gina Procaccio for the past 17 years, finished 21st at the NCAA championships in 2016. Over that time, Procacio has won two national championships in cross country and guided nine individual winners. She's posted nine Big East titles as well. 

Olivere was an NXN-qualifier in 2016 who finished 24th on the Glendoveer Course in Portland, Oregon, and locked in a third-place finish at the NXN Southeast Region in 17:34.20. She also won a Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association cross country championship, her third straight, and posted four performances under 17:35 at the 5K distance.

She was second at the Eastern States race at the Manhattan Invitational. Olivere ran a career PB of 17:02.00 in September at the Carlisle Invitational in Pennsylvania. 

On the track, the distance talent has posted PBs of 2:11/4:56.73/10:30.47 in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. She's gone 4:33.53 in the 1500m and 9:54.20 in the 3000m as well.


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