Source: BigTenNetwork.com
Posted: Monday, June 08, 2009 1:26:00 PM EST
Published: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 6:30:30 PM EST
Posted: Monday, June 08, 2009 1:26:00 PM EST
Published: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 6:30:30 PM EST
Big Ten men's and women's track and field athletes are headed to the University of Arkansas this week for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships, held Wednesday-Saturday. Read the schools' preview stories below:
ILLINOIS: The Illini women's track and field team will be represented by eight athletes at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. from June 10-13 at Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. Illinois' entrants are highlighted by three athletes who rank among the nation's top-10 in their respective events. Junior Angela Bizzarri enters the meet as the top seed in the 5,000m, and will look to earn the seventh All-America accolade of her career. Senior Deserea Brown is ranked sixth in the nation in the 400m hurdles, while junior Aja Evans is seeded fifth in the shot put and will aim for her third All-America accolade in the event. The Orange and Blue will also be represented by sophomore Melissa Bates in the 400m, freshman Latoya Griffith in the 400m hurdles, sophomore Chantelle Groenewoud in the 3,000m steeplechase and the 4x400m relay (Brown, Omoye Ugiagbe, Ryisha Boyd, Bates).
Illinois opens competition on Wednesday with Evans in the qualifying round of the shot put, the first round of the 400m hurdles and the semifinals of the steeplechase and 5,000m.
Three athletes represent the Illinois men's track and field team this week at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. from June 10-13 at Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. Freshman Andrew Riley looks to earn his second All-America accolade of the 2009 season after taking sixth in the 60m hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Riley heads into outdoor nationals ranked eighth in the 110m hurdles. Illinois will also compete junior Greg Shroka in the high jump and senior Andrew Zollner in the pole vault, as both are coming off career-best performances at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Zollner is competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the third straight year, while this is Shroka's first appearance.
Illinois opens competition on Wednesday with Shroka and Zollner competing in the qualifying round of their event. Riley will run the first round of the 110m hurdles on Thursday.
INDIANA: Seven Hoosiers head to Fayetteville, Ark., this week for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The meet will take place over four days, starting on Wednesday, June 10, and concluding on Saturday, June 13. The IU participants will begin action on Wednesday in qualifying-round action. Indiana advances seven to the national meet for the second consecutive year. The Hoosiers will look to build upon the 2008 performance that saw two IU student-athletes earn All-America honors. The men's program took home the NCAA team title in 1932. The women have finished as high as fifth in 1989 and have placed in the top 10 six times. The women will look to score at the NCAA outdoor meet for the first time since 2003.
For the women's team, juniors Molly Beckwith, Wendi Robinson, Vera Neuenswander and Ashley Rhoades, senior Tiffany Howard and sophomore Sarah Pease will don the cream and crimson. On the men's side, freshman Derek Drouin will look to build on his NCAA runner-up finish indoors. Beckwith enters the meet with the highest seeding, as she has the nation's third-best time this season in the 800 meters. Neuenswander has the sixth-best mark in the pole vault.
IOWA: Six Hawkeyes are set to compete at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Fayetteville, AR. Events are scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. All events will be held at the University of Arkansas' John McDonnell Field.
Following are Iowa's entered competitors, their top mark in that event this season and where that mark ranks among the NCAA field:
Adam Hairston - 800 Meters - 1:48.87 - 23rd
John Hickey - Shot Put - 60-1 3/4 (18.33) - 19th
Ray Varner - 400-M Hurdles - 50.54 - 15th
Karessa Farley - 100-M Hurdles - 13.34 - 21st
Betsy Flood - 1,500 Meters - 4:24.91 - 27th
Renee White - Triple Jump - 43-10 3/4 (13.38) - 10th
MICHIGAN: The University of Michigan men's track and field team will send a quartet of athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships next Wednesday through Saturday at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Ark. Senior Adam Harris, senior/junior Lex Williams, fifth-year senior Dan Harmsen and sophomore Carl Buchanon will all look to score for the Wolverines at the four-day meet.
The Michigan women send six athletes -- seniors Geena Gall, Tiffany Ofili, Casey Taylor and Bettie Wade along with sophomores Emily Pendleton and Danielle Tauro. Last season, the Maize and Blue scored 29 points to earn a seventh-place finish. Michigan's best finish came in 2007 when the Wolverines earned third place with 36 points.
MICHIGAN STATE: The Michigan State track & field team has had arguably its best overall season, both indoor and outdoor, since director of track & field Walt Drenth took over the program in 2006. The hard work and dedication of the coaching staff and the student-athletes culminated at the NCAA Mideast Regional last weekend as the Spartans qualified six student-athletes - at least one from every area of competition - for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.
The six qualifying student-athletes - Nicole Bush, Kyron Foster, Jeremy Orr, Sarah Price, Lonnie Pugh and Lisa Senakiewich - are the most for the Spartans since Drenth has been at the helm of the program.
MINNESOTA: Minnesota had three athletes - Aaron Studt, Hassan Mead and Chris Rombough - earn All-America honors and combine for 15 points to tie for 14th place overall in the team standings at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships. With Studt, Mead and Rombough among the Gopher contingent at the outdoor meet, Minnesota seems poised to earn its second top-20 finish of the season.
Five of six Gophers headed for the NCAAs have made at least one previous track championships appearance. Add cross country into the picture and that average improves to 100 percent with that important experience on their resumes. Chris Rombough is the most veteran of the group having participated in four NCAA Cross Country and three NCAA Track Championships. Rombough is the first three-time cross country All-American in Minnesota history.
OHIO STATE: Five members of the Ohio State women's track and field team will represent the Buckeyes at the 2009 NCAA Track and Field Championships June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark. Letecia Wright (100m Hurdles) is lone individual competitor, while Latoya Sanderson, Ashley Caldwell, Ayrizanna Favours and Shaniqua McGinnis will compete in the 4x400m relay.
The Ohio State men's team also sends five competitors to the NCAA Championships, with athletes in running (400m, 800, 1500m), field (shot put) and multi-events (decathlon) for the first time in several seasons. Thomas Murdaugh (400m Dash), Daniel White (800m Run), Jeff See (1500m Run), Patrick Whalen (Shot Put) and Patrick Woods (Decathlon)
PENN STATE: Dawn Dorr and Shavon GReaves will lead the Lions in the sprints, after both athletes received automatic-qualifying bids at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Greensboro, N.C.. Dorr will compete in the 400-meter hurdles for the second straight year and enters the competition with the fifth-fastest seed time. Dorr's 56.91, which she clocked to take second at regionals, is also a Penn State record. Greaves will run the 200, after capturing fifth place and automatic-qualifying status at the regional. Also making the trip will be redshirt junior Aleesha Barber, who received an at-large bid in the 100-meter hurdles, thanks to her season-best 13.41.
Dorr, Greaves, and Barber, along with senior Gayle Hunter will also compete in the 4x400-meter relay, an event in which the Lions are defending champions. The Penn State quartet sprinted to a season-best 3:33.57 last weekend, claiming top honors in the region for the second-straight year. Hunter will be one of the competition's busiest athletes as always, as she will also compete in the heptathlon and open long jump. Hunter posted an automatic-qualifying and school-record 5730 at the Big Ten Championships, earning a spot in the multi-events.
Senior Clarence Smith will represent the Lion horizontal jumpers on the men's side, qualifying for the triple jump competition with a lifetime-best 53-1.50 (16.19) – good for third in the east regional field. Smith will also be making his second-career appearance at the national championships after earning All-America honors as a junior in 2008.
Making the NCAA field for the fourth time in his career will be redshirt junior Ryan Fritz, who was accepted into the meet as an at-large selection. Fritz – already a three-time NCAA All-American - will enter the competition with a season-best 7-1 (2.16) clearance in the high jump.
Senior John Vellenoweth will be one of the Lions' first-time qualifiers, making an appearance in the pole vault, thanks to an at-large bid. Vellenoweth has topped out at 17-5.50 (5.32) this season, and finished sixth at the regional championships.
Back on the track, sophomore Ryan Foster has qualified individually for the first time, after running on the Lions' NCAA distance medley relay indoors. Foster – the Big Ten Champion indoors and outdoors - posted a fourth-place finish in the 800-meters at the NCAA Regional – good for an automatic-qualifying spot.
Another of the Lions' seasoned veterans is junior Bridget Franek, who is coming off her second-consecutive regional title in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Franek's school-record 9:43.57 is ranked third in the NCAA steeplechase. Franek, who was the NCAA bronze-medalist in the steeplechase as a sophomore, is already a five-time NCAA All-American.
Also boasting her second-career regional victory is sophomore Karlee McQuillen, who took top honors in the javelin last weekend. McQuillen was an All-American in the event as a freshman in 2008. Classmate Kim Hanslovan will also compete in the javelin after a sixth-place finish at the regional meet and an at-large bid.
PURDUE: The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams head to the University of Arkansas this week for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Boilermakers have six qualifiers in tow, taking four male athletes and a pair of females to compete in the national field.
Senior Kara Patterson headlines the Boilermakers' NCAA roster, carrying the No. 1 mark in the nation in the women's javelin this season into competition. Fresh off her fourth career NCAA Mideast Regional title, she led the nation all season with her opening mark of 58.41 meters (191-08) at the Arizona State Invitational, but bettered that throw at the regional championship, tossing it 58.56 meters (192-01).
Stacey Wannemacher is set for her third straight NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance in the women's shot put, entering this year's meet with the nation's 13th-best throw. Wannemacher broke her own Purdue outdoor record in the event twice this season, extending the mark to 16.25 meters (53-03.75) at the Georgia Spec Towns National Team Invitational on April 11, and topping out at 16.35 meters (53-07.75) at the Big Ten Championships on May 16.
All four of the Purdue men's qualifiers are headed back to the national championships as junior Eric Sparks is headed to his third straight NCAA event, while senior Ben Harpenau, junior Adetayo Adesanya and sophomore Josh Hembrough all have advanced for the second consecutive time. Sparks is tied for the No. 11 mark in the men's pole vault this season, clearing a season-best 5.36 meters (17-07.00) to win his first career NCAA Mideast Regional Championship. He won his second consecutive Big Ten Championship on May 17, soaring over 5.32 meters (17-05.50) on his first attempt, and has his eyes set on his first NCAA Championship finals appearance. The pole vault preliminaries are scheduled for Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., with the finals following Friday at 3:45 p.m.
WISCONSIN: Preview to follow
ILLINOIS: The Illini women's track and field team will be represented by eight athletes at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. from June 10-13 at Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. Illinois' entrants are highlighted by three athletes who rank among the nation's top-10 in their respective events. Junior Angela Bizzarri enters the meet as the top seed in the 5,000m, and will look to earn the seventh All-America accolade of her career. Senior Deserea Brown is ranked sixth in the nation in the 400m hurdles, while junior Aja Evans is seeded fifth in the shot put and will aim for her third All-America accolade in the event. The Orange and Blue will also be represented by sophomore Melissa Bates in the 400m, freshman Latoya Griffith in the 400m hurdles, sophomore Chantelle Groenewoud in the 3,000m steeplechase and the 4x400m relay (Brown, Omoye Ugiagbe, Ryisha Boyd, Bates).
Illinois opens competition on Wednesday with Evans in the qualifying round of the shot put, the first round of the 400m hurdles and the semifinals of the steeplechase and 5,000m.
Three athletes represent the Illinois men's track and field team this week at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. from June 10-13 at Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. Freshman Andrew Riley looks to earn his second All-America accolade of the 2009 season after taking sixth in the 60m hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Riley heads into outdoor nationals ranked eighth in the 110m hurdles. Illinois will also compete junior Greg Shroka in the high jump and senior Andrew Zollner in the pole vault, as both are coming off career-best performances at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Zollner is competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the third straight year, while this is Shroka's first appearance.
Illinois opens competition on Wednesday with Shroka and Zollner competing in the qualifying round of their event. Riley will run the first round of the 110m hurdles on Thursday.
INDIANA: Seven Hoosiers head to Fayetteville, Ark., this week for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The meet will take place over four days, starting on Wednesday, June 10, and concluding on Saturday, June 13. The IU participants will begin action on Wednesday in qualifying-round action. Indiana advances seven to the national meet for the second consecutive year. The Hoosiers will look to build upon the 2008 performance that saw two IU student-athletes earn All-America honors. The men's program took home the NCAA team title in 1932. The women have finished as high as fifth in 1989 and have placed in the top 10 six times. The women will look to score at the NCAA outdoor meet for the first time since 2003.
For the women's team, juniors Molly Beckwith, Wendi Robinson, Vera Neuenswander and Ashley Rhoades, senior Tiffany Howard and sophomore Sarah Pease will don the cream and crimson. On the men's side, freshman Derek Drouin will look to build on his NCAA runner-up finish indoors. Beckwith enters the meet with the highest seeding, as she has the nation's third-best time this season in the 800 meters. Neuenswander has the sixth-best mark in the pole vault.
IOWA: Six Hawkeyes are set to compete at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Fayetteville, AR. Events are scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. All events will be held at the University of Arkansas' John McDonnell Field.
Following are Iowa's entered competitors, their top mark in that event this season and where that mark ranks among the NCAA field:
Adam Hairston - 800 Meters - 1:48.87 - 23rd
John Hickey - Shot Put - 60-1 3/4 (18.33) - 19th
Ray Varner - 400-M Hurdles - 50.54 - 15th
Karessa Farley - 100-M Hurdles - 13.34 - 21st
Betsy Flood - 1,500 Meters - 4:24.91 - 27th
Renee White - Triple Jump - 43-10 3/4 (13.38) - 10th
MICHIGAN: The University of Michigan men's track and field team will send a quartet of athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships next Wednesday through Saturday at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Ark. Senior Adam Harris, senior/junior Lex Williams, fifth-year senior Dan Harmsen and sophomore Carl Buchanon will all look to score for the Wolverines at the four-day meet.
The Michigan women send six athletes -- seniors Geena Gall, Tiffany Ofili, Casey Taylor and Bettie Wade along with sophomores Emily Pendleton and Danielle Tauro. Last season, the Maize and Blue scored 29 points to earn a seventh-place finish. Michigan's best finish came in 2007 when the Wolverines earned third place with 36 points.
MICHIGAN STATE: The Michigan State track & field team has had arguably its best overall season, both indoor and outdoor, since director of track & field Walt Drenth took over the program in 2006. The hard work and dedication of the coaching staff and the student-athletes culminated at the NCAA Mideast Regional last weekend as the Spartans qualified six student-athletes - at least one from every area of competition - for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.
The six qualifying student-athletes - Nicole Bush, Kyron Foster, Jeremy Orr, Sarah Price, Lonnie Pugh and Lisa Senakiewich - are the most for the Spartans since Drenth has been at the helm of the program.
MINNESOTA: Minnesota had three athletes - Aaron Studt, Hassan Mead and Chris Rombough - earn All-America honors and combine for 15 points to tie for 14th place overall in the team standings at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships. With Studt, Mead and Rombough among the Gopher contingent at the outdoor meet, Minnesota seems poised to earn its second top-20 finish of the season.
Five of six Gophers headed for the NCAAs have made at least one previous track championships appearance. Add cross country into the picture and that average improves to 100 percent with that important experience on their resumes. Chris Rombough is the most veteran of the group having participated in four NCAA Cross Country and three NCAA Track Championships. Rombough is the first three-time cross country All-American in Minnesota history.
OHIO STATE: Five members of the Ohio State women's track and field team will represent the Buckeyes at the 2009 NCAA Track and Field Championships June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark. Letecia Wright (100m Hurdles) is lone individual competitor, while Latoya Sanderson, Ashley Caldwell, Ayrizanna Favours and Shaniqua McGinnis will compete in the 4x400m relay.
The Ohio State men's team also sends five competitors to the NCAA Championships, with athletes in running (400m, 800, 1500m), field (shot put) and multi-events (decathlon) for the first time in several seasons. Thomas Murdaugh (400m Dash), Daniel White (800m Run), Jeff See (1500m Run), Patrick Whalen (Shot Put) and Patrick Woods (Decathlon)
PENN STATE: Dawn Dorr and Shavon GReaves will lead the Lions in the sprints, after both athletes received automatic-qualifying bids at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Greensboro, N.C.. Dorr will compete in the 400-meter hurdles for the second straight year and enters the competition with the fifth-fastest seed time. Dorr's 56.91, which she clocked to take second at regionals, is also a Penn State record. Greaves will run the 200, after capturing fifth place and automatic-qualifying status at the regional. Also making the trip will be redshirt junior Aleesha Barber, who received an at-large bid in the 100-meter hurdles, thanks to her season-best 13.41.
Dorr, Greaves, and Barber, along with senior Gayle Hunter will also compete in the 4x400-meter relay, an event in which the Lions are defending champions. The Penn State quartet sprinted to a season-best 3:33.57 last weekend, claiming top honors in the region for the second-straight year. Hunter will be one of the competition's busiest athletes as always, as she will also compete in the heptathlon and open long jump. Hunter posted an automatic-qualifying and school-record 5730 at the Big Ten Championships, earning a spot in the multi-events.
Senior Clarence Smith will represent the Lion horizontal jumpers on the men's side, qualifying for the triple jump competition with a lifetime-best 53-1.50 (16.19) – good for third in the east regional field. Smith will also be making his second-career appearance at the national championships after earning All-America honors as a junior in 2008.
Making the NCAA field for the fourth time in his career will be redshirt junior Ryan Fritz, who was accepted into the meet as an at-large selection. Fritz – already a three-time NCAA All-American - will enter the competition with a season-best 7-1 (2.16) clearance in the high jump.
Senior John Vellenoweth will be one of the Lions' first-time qualifiers, making an appearance in the pole vault, thanks to an at-large bid. Vellenoweth has topped out at 17-5.50 (5.32) this season, and finished sixth at the regional championships.
Back on the track, sophomore Ryan Foster has qualified individually for the first time, after running on the Lions' NCAA distance medley relay indoors. Foster – the Big Ten Champion indoors and outdoors - posted a fourth-place finish in the 800-meters at the NCAA Regional – good for an automatic-qualifying spot.
Another of the Lions' seasoned veterans is junior Bridget Franek, who is coming off her second-consecutive regional title in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Franek's school-record 9:43.57 is ranked third in the NCAA steeplechase. Franek, who was the NCAA bronze-medalist in the steeplechase as a sophomore, is already a five-time NCAA All-American.
Also boasting her second-career regional victory is sophomore Karlee McQuillen, who took top honors in the javelin last weekend. McQuillen was an All-American in the event as a freshman in 2008. Classmate Kim Hanslovan will also compete in the javelin after a sixth-place finish at the regional meet and an at-large bid.
PURDUE: The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams head to the University of Arkansas this week for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Boilermakers have six qualifiers in tow, taking four male athletes and a pair of females to compete in the national field.
Senior Kara Patterson headlines the Boilermakers' NCAA roster, carrying the No. 1 mark in the nation in the women's javelin this season into competition. Fresh off her fourth career NCAA Mideast Regional title, she led the nation all season with her opening mark of 58.41 meters (191-08) at the Arizona State Invitational, but bettered that throw at the regional championship, tossing it 58.56 meters (192-01).
Stacey Wannemacher is set for her third straight NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance in the women's shot put, entering this year's meet with the nation's 13th-best throw. Wannemacher broke her own Purdue outdoor record in the event twice this season, extending the mark to 16.25 meters (53-03.75) at the Georgia Spec Towns National Team Invitational on April 11, and topping out at 16.35 meters (53-07.75) at the Big Ten Championships on May 16.
All four of the Purdue men's qualifiers are headed back to the national championships as junior Eric Sparks is headed to his third straight NCAA event, while senior Ben Harpenau, junior Adetayo Adesanya and sophomore Josh Hembrough all have advanced for the second consecutive time. Sparks is tied for the No. 11 mark in the men's pole vault this season, clearing a season-best 5.36 meters (17-07.00) to win his first career NCAA Mideast Regional Championship. He won his second consecutive Big Ten Championship on May 17, soaring over 5.32 meters (17-05.50) on his first attempt, and has his eyes set on his first NCAA Championship finals appearance. The pole vault preliminaries are scheduled for Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., with the finals following Friday at 3:45 p.m.
WISCONSIN: Preview to follow
