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May 11, 2004
LHU Track & Field Set For PSAC Championships
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(Lock Haven,
Pa.
) – The
Lock
Haven
University
of
Pennsylvania
men’s and women’s track and field teams travel to N. Kerr Thompson Stadium
on the campus of
Slippery
Rock
University
for the 2004 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Outdoor Track and
Field Championships from May 13-15.
Second a year ago, the Bald Eagle squad will be looking to regain the
outdoor conference crown and win a match for its 2004 indoor title. One of the
favorites entering into this weekend, Lock Haven is ranked fifth in the latest
Division II power rankings. A total of 25 individual student-athletes have
qualified for the PSAC meet, recording 15 times or marks among the top five in
their event.
Defending champions Nick
Slotterback (Lewisburg/Lewisburg) and Andy
Pollison (
Long
Valley
, N.J./West Morris Central) return
in strong position to maintain their respective crowns.
Slotterback, also the defending NCAA Division II champion in the
javelin, is currently at the top of a highly contested leaders’ board that
includes nine national qualifiers with a throw of 218’4”.
Pollison, the defending champ in the pole vault, enters competition with
a season-best clearance of 15’9” to rank second among potential contenders.
In the sprints, the Haven will rely mainly on Anesu
Mushonga (
Harare
,
Zimbabwe
/Prince Edward) to score points.
Mushonga has the third fastest PSAC time in the 100 meters (10.89) and the
fourth best mark in the 200 meters (22.01).
Keith Veldhuis (Thamesford, ONT/Ingersoll
DCI) could also help out, seated fifth in the 400 meters.
Junior mid-distance runner Paul
Hallman (Langhorne/Neshaminy) has clocked an NCAA qualifying time of
3:53.97 in the 1500 meters and will be one of the favorites in that event as
well as pushing for one of the top spots in the 800 meter run. Other
challengers for the Bald Eagles in the 1500 meters include Ryan
Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro), who is currently ranked third on the
conference list with a time of 3:54.84, and Joe
Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock), who is fourth among PSAC runners with a
time of 3:57.15.
Looking to collect points in the distance races will be Chris
Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison), who currently owns the fastest
5,000 meter time, an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 14:31.12.
In the hurdles, the Haven has two of the top three competitors in the
400 meter intermediate hurdle event in Mike
Brito (
Union
, N.J./Union) and Jacob Merrill (Kingsley/Montrose). Both have posted NCAA qualifying
times in the event, Brito with a season best of 52.97and Merrill close behind
in 53.22.
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The Bald Eagles’ Jim Dempsey
(Blue Bell/Wissahickon) is a strong contender in the high jump. The
freshman is tied for first on the PSAC leader board with a best jump of
6’8-3/4” this season. Jacob
Merrill has the third-best triple jump mark in the PSAC leading up to the
championships, recording a distance of 45’10-3/4”.
Fieldon
Daubert (Annville/Annville-Cleona) leads a talented cast of throwers, and
is slated to compete in three events for the Bald Eagles. Daubert has thrown an
NCAA provisional distance of 196’9” in the javelin and will also contest in
the shot put (47’4-1/2”) and the discus (140’3”).
The Haven returns only two members from its PSAC champion 4x100 meter
relay and its All-American 4x400 meter relay, but the Bald Eagles are still
among the PSAC leaders in both this time around, and are expected to score
points no matter what combination takes the track.
The
LHU women also finished second in the overall team race last season, and after
a seventh-place finish during the indoor season, this young group of Lady
Eagles is starting to gain confidence and will look to place even higher this
weekend.
Of the 14 individuals qualified for the PSAC meet, Lock Haven enters the
championship weekend ranked among the top five in six events.
Freshman Maggie Borden (Hanover/Delone Catholic) highlights the list of
standout performances, entering her first outdoor championship meet as the top
contender in the 400 meter dash after running a time of 57.31. Borden is also
ranked fifth in the 200 meters with a time of 25.67.
Melissa Namey (New Kensington/Burrell) is seeded third in the 400
meters (58.41) and is also expected to compete in the 200 meters (26.22).
Borden and Namey team up
with Diane Sujansky (Plum/Plum) and Laura
Phillips (York/Central
York
) for the 4x100 meter relay, ranked
fourth in the conference with a time of 49.07. The 4x400 meter relay, which
could include any combination of the 400 meter relay runners along with Mary Ewanich (Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall) and Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg), is also the fourth
fastest in the conference thus far with a fastest time of 3:59.27.
In the field events, the Lady Eagles’ Steph
Schiebel (Butler/Butler) went 10’6-1/4” in the pole vault at last
weekend’s LHU Qualifier to move up to fourth in the overall conference
standings. Sara
McCleary (Rockton/DuBois) will vie for points in the high jump, recording a
season best jump of 5’3-3/4” to rank fifth entering into the meet. The
Haven will also look to Richelle Reed
(Georgetown/South Side Beaver) for a boost, the freshman thrower among the
top five in the discus with season best throw of 124’9”.
Championship
action at
Slippery
Rock
University
’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium starts on Thursday morning, when the decathlon
and heptathlon competitions open up. Friday’s action begins at
8 a.m.
with preliminary heats in track events. Field events start at
9 a.m.
and the final events of the decathlon and heptathlon will be completed.
On Saturday, competition starts at
9 a.m.
with the field events, with track events beginning at
11 a.m.
No admission will be charged for Thursday’s events. Admission on
Friday and Saturday is $7 per day for adults and $2 for students.
###LHU###
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