ABILENE,
Texas – Four
representatives of the Lock Haven University men’s
track and field team completed their 2005 campaigns
at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, held at Abilene
Christian University. Senior
Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison)
led the way with a pair of top-15 finishes in the
10,000 and 5,000 meters.
Cowan had the
single-best finish of any Bald Eagle, taking 11th
in the 5,000 meters, in 15:08.50, slightly slower
than his qualifying time of 14:54.72. He added a 14th
in the 10,000 meters at 32:02.95.
Sophomore
Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett, Pa./Kane Area)
bettered his teammate by two spots in the 10,000,
taking 12th at 31:40.05.
High jump
specialist
Jim Dempsey (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon),
the third sophomore of the
quartet, cleared the bar at 6-feet-7, good for 12th.
Classmate
Ryan Blood (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro)
missed qualifying for the
5,000 finals by just two spots, ending his first
trip to NCAA Outdoor competition with a 15:19.27 in
heat one.
Cowan, Benson,
Blood and Dempsey wrap up an outdoor season for the
Bald Eagles that boasted four NCAA Qualifiers, three
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
Champions and a fifth-place finish at the conference
meet.
