Track & Field Teams Kick Off Landmark Spring Championship Season
MADISON, N.J. – Two months ago the Landmark Track & Field teams descended on Susquehanna University to challenge for the Landmark Indoor Track & Field Championships. This weekend the same six institutions will return to Selinsgrove, Pa. and the James W. Garrett Sports Complex for a shot at the men's and women's Landmark Outdoor Track & Field Championships as the meet kicks off the spring sports championship season within the Landmark.
Competition begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the women's 10,000-meter run and will wrap up at approximately 6 p.m. Saturday evening. The meet will wrap up on Sunday when competition resumes at 9 a.m. and is scheduled to conclude shortly before 3:30 p.m. Meet host Susquehanna will try and defend its home track against two-time champions Moravian College which has claimed the men's and women's titles at both of the previous Landmark Outdoor Championships. Challenging that duo will be The Catholic University of America, Goucher College, Juniata College, and the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Additionally event winners will be recognized in 19 individual events and a pair of relays.
In the women's competition Moravian has dominated the field, winning the team title by more than 100 points in each of the first two years. The Greyhounds have a deep, talented team capable of earning significant points in nearly every venue. Rachel Beck and Anna Heim were named the Track and Field Athletes of the Year respectively at the Landmark Indoor Championships, and Heim went on to win the NCAA Division III Championship in the pole vault. Thrower Brittany Moses is also ranked first in two events, and could be a factor in that area.
Susquehanna, Juniata and Catholic have all challenged Moravian over the previous two years, with Juniata and Susquehanna each posting a runner-up finish and Catholic twice finishing in the top-four. The Crusaders come the closest to matching the versatility of the Moravian roster as they will likely earn points in nearly every event, and will be led by Alycia Woodruff who won three events at the Outdoor Championships last season en route to being named Track Athlete of the Year. Juniata's Laura Rupprecht has been a top-2 finisher in a variety of events in her first two years and will be a factor in the short distance events, while freshman Angela Shaffer is a threat to win the high jump and the 100-hurdles. Catholic freshman Laura Kinley won the 800 at the indoor Landmark meet and should challenge for the top spot in the 800 and 1,500 for the Cardinals, while Kelly Carioto is the reigning champion and Landmark record holder in the shot put.
Goucher and USMMA will both looking to break into the top half of the standings for the first time after strong outdoor seasons. The Gophers have enjoyed strong seasons from Sarah Meade in the sprints and Jaclyn Kellon in the hurdles and both could break through with point-scoring performances at the meet. USMMA is blesses with a pair of strong throwers in Andrea Morrison and Amanda Gavrun who seem like the best chance to earn points. Morrison won the hammer throw at the 2008 Landmark Championships.
The battle for the top spot in the men's competition will most likely be a dual between Moravian and Susquehanna. The Greyhounds have claimed both outdoor titles, but Susquehanna won the Indoor Championship last year and has hopes of claiming the outdoor title on its home track. One big obstacle will be Eric Woodruff who was the Track Athlete of the Year last season when he won a pair of sprint events, and is enjoying another strong campaign. Senior Mike Blenk is a versatile performer for the Greyhounds who is ranked highly in a number of jump and hurdle events and is the defending decathlon champion. Many of Susquehanna's points will come from its deep distance running corps, led by Paul Thistle who is a multiple event winner at previous Landmark Championships. Bobby Eppleman can match Blenk's versatility and could score in all three jump events as well as the pole vault.
Elsewhere in the men's meet, Juniata has held the third spot in each of the previous two seasons, and some strong showings this spring has them looking like a possible threat to the top two. Matthew Bailey recently set a new Landmark record in the 10,000 and is a threat to win in several distance events, while TJ Breya won two events at the Landmark indoor meet and is ranked highly in the hurdles and long sprints. Goucher broke into the top-4 in the standings for the first time at the Indoor Championships and is hoping to match or better that feat outdoors. Will Evans III was named Rookie of the Year for his efforts indoors and ranks as one of the top sprinters in the conference. Pole vaulter Chris Litz is another big threat for the Gophers after he has notched several personal bests in the event the past few weeks. Catholic's Andrew Smith has previously won the 10,000 at the Landmark meet and will be a threat in the distance events for the Cardinals. Catholic has also received strong performances throughout the spring from versatile Joe Quigley in the sprints and jumps. USMMA also shows strength in the sprints and jumps with Brandon Barrett lodging some strong times in the 200 and 400 and Philip Greene recording some of the better leaps in the conference.
One competition wraps up on Sunday, Landmark teams will compete at various last-chance meets over the next few weeks in attempts to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships which will be held May 27-29 at Tressel Field at Finnie Stadium in Berea, Ohio. Last season the Landmark sent 12 athletes to the NCAA Championships and had seven competitors earn All-America honors.
