Clarion University’s men’s and women’s track and field teams are set for the 2002 PSAC Championships being held Thursday, May 9, through Saturday, May 11, at Kutztown University

The women’s team has 13 PSAC qualifiers in 18 events, while the men’s team has eight qualifiers in 10 events plus one relay team.

"We are excited that the PSAC’s are here," eighth-year head coach Pat Mooney said. "While we aren’t as strong of a championship meet team as we are a dual meet team, we have the opportunity to have some of our athletes have very good performances."

Three athletes who have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships lead the women’s team including senior Kristie Shoemaker (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk), sophomore Carrie Bullman (Chicora/Karns City) and sophomore Julie Evenoski (New Castle/Neshannock).

"Those three give us a good start," Mooney said. "Kristie is ranked No. 1 in the PSAC in the triple jump going into the PSAC’s, while Carrie and Julie are both ranked in the top 6 in the PSAC in the javelin."

Shoemaker is the school record holder in both the long jump (17-6 3/4) and the triple jump (38-2 1/4). She will also run the 100 at PSAC’s for the Golden Eagles, an event she qualified in with a season-best time of 12.84, which ranks in the top 10 in the PSAC.

"Kristie is jumping well right now," Mooney said. "She is really on fire. She could place in all three events, and we believe she will place in both jumping events. Things are going very well for her right now."

Bullman is the school record holder in the javelin with a throw of 139-4, while Evenoski has a season-best toss of 133-10 in the javelin.

"Carrie currently has the 16^th best throw in the nation," Mooney said. "Julie is also throwing very well right now. We believe both of them have a good chance of placing in the javelin."

Led by Bullman and Evenoski, Mooney said the throws are Clarion’s strongest event heading into the PSAC’s.

"We expect to score points in every throwing event," Mooney said. "It is a real team strength. We should have one person in all three events place, and we might have two people place in a couple of the events. We will get a fair number of our points in the throws."

In addition to Bullman and Evenoski in the javelin, Clarion’s other top throwers include Evenoski in the shot put (40-0), Jen Klock (Whitehall/Whitehall) in the shot put (41-6), Julia Jackson (Murrysville/Kiski Area) in the shot put (39-0), Liz Eury (Butler/Butler) in the discus (129-0) and Jessica Crouch (Saxonburg/Knoch) in the javelin (128-4).

"Jen Klock placed in the shot put last year (4th) and we expect her to place again this season," Mooney said. "We also think Julie Evenoski and Julia Jackson could place in the shot put as well.

"We also have high expectations for Liz Eury in the discus. She didn’t place last season, but she was fifth in 2000."

On the track, Mooney believes the Golden Eagles will get strong performances from Shoemaker in the 100, Laura Crago (Seven Fields/Butler) in the 100 hurdles (15.84) and 400 hurdles (1:06.7), Jen Boerner (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home) in the 1,500 (4:49.2) and 3,000 (10:43.5), Melissa Terwillinger (Blasdell, NY/Frontier) in the 10,000 and Melissa Harkins (Altoona/Altoona) in the steeplechase (12:29.2).

In addition to Shoemaker in the jumps, Mooney believes Leah Fennell (Saxonburg/Knoch) could also place in the triple jump (35-3 1/4), while Elissa Till (Ebensburg/Central Cambria) could place in the pole vault (9-8 1/4).

Clarion’s men’s track and field team will be led by sophomore Brandon Phillips (Verona/Penn Hills) and seniors Justin Wise (Ebensburg/Central Cambria) and Gerald Smith (Greensburg/Greensburg-Salem).

Phillips qualified for the PSAC meet in both the 100 and 200. His best time in the 100 is an unofficial 10.54 handheld time at Baldwin-Wallace, while his best official time is 11.12 at Slippery Rock. His best time in the 200 is 22.63.

"Brandon is running very well," Mooney said. "He could place in both the 100 and 200."

Wise finished second at PSAC’s last year in the pole vault, and has qualified for this year’s meet with a vault 14-0 ½. Smith finished third in the 800 at PSAC’s a year ago and has qualified for this year’s meet with a run of 1:55.9. Wise also qualified for the PSAC’s in the javelin (182-9).

"Justin and Jerry both placed last year, and while they are not ranked in the top six going into the meet this year, they both have a strong shot at placing again," Mooney said. "Last year they rose to the occasion, and we expect the same this year."

Three other athletes who Mooney believes have a shot at placing this year are junior John Krol (Leavittsburg, Ohio/La Brae) in the discus (135-9 ½), David Duriancik (Vandergrift/Kiski Area) in the steeplechase (9:44.3) and Tim Fabrizi (Murrysville/Kiski Area) in the 400 (50.53).

"All three of them have steadily improved as the season has gone on," Mooney said. "They could be ready to peak at this meet."

Two other Golden Eagles have qualified for PSAC’s this season. They are Rob Walker (Miramar, Fla./Western) in the 100 (10.9) and Brandon Whitman (Coudersport/Coudersport) in the 110 hurdles (15.4).

"Neither of them are ranked in the top 10 going into the meet," Mooney said. "But anything can happen especially in the races they are running."

Mooney is also very excited about the men’s 4x400 meter relay team of Fabrizi, freshman Colin Hawkins (Dewuttville, NY/Chautaqua Lake), junior Zac Lendyak (East Brady/Karns City) and Smith. The team has a top time of 3:24.6 this season.

"They are coming off running their best time of the season last Saturday at Lock Haven," Mooney said. "We believe they have a chance to place at the PSAC meet."

GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES: Clarion’s women’s team finished 10^th at PSAC’s last season while the men’s team was 8^th ... Both of Clarion’s teams went 7-1 in dual meet competition this season, and according to Mooney the Golden Eagles are a much stronger dual meet team than championship meet team ... "We don’t match up as well in the championship format," Mooney said ... If Clarion has any NCAA qualifiers, and with three provisional qualifiers already the Golden Eagles have a good shot to have at least one, the NCAA’s will be held May 23-25 at Angelo St. (Texas).