Lisa Uhl (née Koll) (born August 31, 1987, Fort Dodge, Iowa)[1] is an American runner. She is a four-time NCAA Division One champion, former NCAA record holder in the 10,000 meters,[2] and the sixth fastest American woman to ever cover that distance.[3] She competed in the 10,000 meters in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She competed for Iowa State University.
At the 2010 NCAA indoor championships Uhl won the 5,000 meter run by over 10 seconds in a time of 15:39.65. Just a few months later she broke the 10,000 meter record for the second time at the Stanford Invitational, finishing with a time of 31 minutes, 18.07 seconds.[2] This stood as the record for just over 14 years, until it was broken by Parker Valby by 27.64 seconds in 2024. She also dominated the outdoor collegiate 5,000 meter event. At the Payton Jordan invitational she finished fourth in an elite 5,000 meter field, beaten only by World Championship bronze medalist Shannon Rowbury, Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan, and reigning US national 10,000 meter champion Amy Yoder Begley, in a time of 15 minutes and 17.76 seconds. It was the best NCAA 5,000 meter time in the nation that year by almost 20 seconds.[7]
Uhl's record breaking outdoor season continued when she won the Big 12 10,000 meter title, becoming the first woman ever to win four straight conference titles in the same event.[1] At her final meet as a collegian Lisa Kohl became both the NCAA outdoor 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter champion.[8] One of only four athletes to have ever done so, and the first to do it since 1996.[1] She won the 10,000 meters by over 20 seconds in a time of 32:49.35 and the 5,000 meters by over 30 seconds in a time of 15:23.80.[9]
At the end of her 2010 track season, Uhl won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's best collegiate female track and field athlete of the year [10][11][12] and was nominated as one of three athletes for the female collegiate sports person of the year (all sports).[13]
Professional career
Uhl turned professional shortly after the collegiate championships, signing with Peter Stubbs Management.[14] In her first track meet as a professional she finished second in the 10,000 meters at the US national championships in a time of 32:11.72, beaten only by the reigning US national champion Amy Yoder Begley. Held at her hometown track, Koll took the lead midway through the race and held it until the final lap when Begley closed in 65 seconds to finish in 32:06.45.[15]
In June 2014, she returned to racing at the 2014 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon - clocking 1:16:16 (5:50 per mile)[24] as her first hard workout to finish 14 out of 4434 Females. On September 7, 2014, she won the City of Lakes Half Marathon in a time of 1:17:12.[25]
