The PSAC Indoor Track & Field Championships begin Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m. at ESU.

The Lock Haven University men’s and women’s track and field teams are taking aim at more titles as they are set to compete in this weekend’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships at East Stroudsburg University.

The meet kicks off Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m. inside ESU’s Koehler Fieldhouse.

The Bald Eagles will have their work cut out for them if they are to defend their title, but they certainly have the firepower to do so if things go right for the Haven men.

Since 2002 the Bald Eagles have won four of five titles, including last season’s as they look to make it back-to-back titles this weekend.

The women’s team has finished second overall at the championships in each of the last two seasons. The Lady Eagles have two PSAC crowns to their name having won the first two championships ever contested indoor including the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

The Lady Eagles are in a similar situation as the men, but both teams have plenty of talent in the field that could make things interesting in the team race depending on the how the athletes step up in the big meet.

The game plan will be similar for both teams according to LHU men’s and women’s co-head coach Aaron Russell, who says they will focus on the individual performances this weekend.

“We’re going on what the individuals can do,” Russell said. “If they do the best they can, we’ll have to see where that puts us.”

And it could certainly put them in contention as LHU has athletes qualified up and down the list of events.

Russell is really looking for some of those athletes to step it up a notch this weekend and say’s both teams success will depend on that factor.

“We have a lot of people seeded seventh, eighth and ninth, but if they put it together they could be third or fourth,” Russell said. “Our success depends on how many people really step it up.”

Leading the way on the men’s side will be Paul Martin (Pickering, Ontarion/Pine Ridge Secondary), who is defending champion in the 55M hurdles. He will compete in the 55M hurdles, the 400, the high jump as well as the 4x4 relay.

His performances will be a big factor in how well the men do, but Russell feels he can be up for the challenge calling him a “tough competitor and gamer.”

Another big player for the men this weekend will be Ivars Lurops (Riga, Latvia/Green Mountain College) who will compete in three events (pentathlon, high jump & triple jump) all of which he could place high in as his success will be play a big role in how the men do.

“He’s ranked eighth in the pentathlon going in, but could be top three, he’s second in the high jump, but has the potential to win,” Russell added saying he could also be top five in the triple jump as Lurops’s success could really help the men’s side if he is able to put it all together this weekend.

Sophomore thrower Randy Sylvia (Johnstown, Pa./Richland), the reigning PSAC Field Athlete of the Week is ranked second the weight throw, but has been getting better and better as the season progresses.

Last weekend he broke the school record in the event for the third time this season and will be looking to keep his success going with a big mark this weekend when it can really help the team.

Junior Justin Lockley (Moron, Pa./Springfield) is also looking to have a big weekend competing in the 55M as well as the 200. He is will also be a part of LHU’s 4x4 relay.

LHU will also be counting on big points from the middle distances as well as the relays.

The trio of Brandon Pomerantz (Holland, Pa./Council Rock North), Cory Spidell (Home, Pa./ Marion Center) and Ben McConnell (Danville, Pa./Danville) will look to score big for the Haven.

All three are running the 800 as well as the 4x8 and distance medley relay.

Spidell and Pomerantz will also look to place high in the mile as will freshman Nick Hilton (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) who is seeded ninth.

Jed Yeatts (Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan) and rookie Tim Getz (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) will both look to mix it up in the 5K, hoping to score some valuable points for the Bald Eagles.

On the women’s side the Lady Eagles will be led by junior high jumper Chelsea Morse (Beaver Dams, N.Y./Campbell-Savona), who just seems to get better the bigger the meet.

And Lock Haven will need her to have a big meet if they are to make a run at the title.

She’s leading the conference in the high jump heading in and is ranked fourth nationally. She will also compete in the long jump looking to score some valuable points for the Haven women there as well, as she is coming off the best performance of her career in that event.

Morse’s track record of exceptional performances when it counts the most certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed and Russell knows she will be looking to do so again this weekend with the Lady Eagles really needing big points from her.

“History shows that the more important the meet or the more pressure she feels the better she does,” Russell said. “This season has shown just that again as the bigger the meet the bigger the result from her.”

The Lady Eagles will also look to rack up some major points in the throwing events. Heading into the championships the Haven women are ranked high in both the shot put and the weight throw.

Senior Jen Andrews (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) is ranked No. 1 in the shot and will be looking to claim the individual title. Also looking to make an impact in this event will be Jakia Gumby (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) and Alaina Leonard (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern), who are in prime position for big meets that could really help the Lady Eagles effort.

The weight throw is another place where LHU looks to rack up some big points, which could allow them to make an impact in the team race.

The Lady Eagles have five athletes in the event and hold four of the top eight spots heading in, as all five competitors could score.

Ashley Hartman (Garrett, Pa./Berlin Valley) is recovering from an early season injury, but looked to be close to her old form last weekend and could really surprise some people whom may have forgotten about her.

She will be looking for strong performances in the 55M and the 200 as well as the 4x4.

Also looking to make a mark at the championships is sophomore Megan Wolf (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) is running the 200 and 400.

She is ranked eighth in the 400, but Russell feels she is ready to put together a tough race that could provide valuable points for the Haven.

The women’s success will rely heavily on junior middle distance runners Alyssa Douma (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) and Shala Simms (Ardmore, Pa./Upper Darby).

Both are competing in the 800 as well as all three relays for LHU.

Senior Amanda Reinmiller (Conyngham, Pa./Hazleton) will be looking for a huge meet as well and ready for just that. She is set to compete in the pentathlon, the high jump, the long jump and the triple jump. She’s ranked second in pentathlon and will challenge for the title. Reinmiller will also look to score big in the high and long jump events.

Freshman Ashley Mancil (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) will also look to help the Lady Eagles by scoring in the pole vault.

Here is listed of Lock Haven’s PSAC Championship qualifiers:

(Not necessarily the events they will compete in)

Men: Events Qualified

Justin Lockley 55, 200

Greg Mock 55, 200

Paul Martin 55, 400, 55H, HJ

Preston Faulkner 55, 200

Chris Edelman 200, 400, 800

Shawn Wilkinson 200

Ben McConnell 800

Cory Spidell 800, Mile

Brandon Pomerantz 800, Mile

Nick Hilton Mile, 5k

Tim Getz 5k

Jed Yeatts 5k

Ben Elder 55H

Ivars Lurops HJ, TJ, Pent

Nick Coberly LJ, TJ

Dan Picarella TJ

Logan Wolfe SP, WT

Women: Events Qualified

Ashley Hartman 55, 200

Carlene Lewis 55

Kristie Warren 55, LJ, TJ

Meagan Wolf 200, 400

Cassie Snider 200, 400, LJ, TJ

Shala Simms 400, 800

Alyssa Douma 800

Amanda Reinmiller 55H, HJ, LJ, TJ, Pent

Chelsea Morse HJ, LJ

Ashley Mancil PV

Jennifer Andrews SP, WT

JaKia Gumby SP, WT

Alaina Leonard SP, WT

Kristina Hamm WT

Jenny Scheler WT

Larissa Gunn, Pent

The PSAC Championship meet at ESU starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Action on Sunday begins at 11 a.m.

Visit the following link for ESU’s official meet page for more information; it also has a full PSAC championship event-by-event preview.