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(Lock
Haven, Pa.) - Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania track
and field student-athletes Chris
Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) and Nick
Slotterback (Lewisburg/Lewisburg) will be headed to Walnut, California,
for the 2004 NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championships
taking place from May 27-29. The
championships will be held at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the campus of Mount San
Antonio College with California
State
Polytechnic
University, Pomona, serving as host.
Distance standout Chris Cowan
returns to the national championships for his third appearance, this time
challenging in the 5,000 meters after running the past two seasons in the
10,000 meter race. Cowan won both
the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
(PSAC) championships. His
season-best time in the 5,000 meters, and also the fastest in the PSAC, came in
early April at the Bucknell Distance Carnival when he set a new school record
by running the race in 14:31.12. Scott
Nagelkerke of Western
State
enters nationals with the top time in the nation of 13:48.91, while Cowan’s
time places him 11th on list of 18 competitors.
Returning national javelin champion and two-time All-American Nick
Slotterback defended his PSAC title two weekends ago and is hoping for the
same result at the upcoming NCAA championships. Slotterback’s best throw of
the season came in early May, when the senior threw a 218’4” at the LHU
Qualifier to automatically qualify for the national meet. His mark ranks him
third among participants in this year’s field of javelin competitors.
Mika Alahaivala of
Missouri
Southern currently owns the best mark in the nation heading into competition
with a distance of 220’7-1/2”.
Veteran
head coach Mark Elliston’s men’s track and field team finished as the
runner-up at the 2004 PSAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The Bald Eagles also finished the season ranked 12th in the
NCAA Division II Track and Field Power Rankings (209.28 points), the top team
from the East Region.
The
qualifying race for the 5,000 meters is on Friday, May 28, at
6:20 p.m.
The finals for the 5,000 meters
are on Saturday, May 29, at
6:37 p.m.
The javelin is contested on
Saturday starting at
2:30 p.m.
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Chris Cowan (5,000m)
(click logo for link
to host website)
Nick Slotterback (Javelin)
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