CLARION TRACK AND FIELD TO HOST EARLY BIRD INVITE SATURDAY

Golden Eagles excited to start “northern” schedule

The Clarion University men’s and women’s track and field teams will get their 2004 northern schedule underway Saturday when they host the Clarion Early Bird Invitational, which will include 16 teams ranging from Division I to Division III competition.

It is the second meet of the outdoor season for Clarion, which started the year at the Coastal Carolina Meet a couple of weeks ago.

 “This is the first meet for most schools in the northeast,” Clarion’s 10^th-year head coach Pat Mooney said. “I think all of us are excited and anxious to get started. We know that the competition should be very good with a nice turnout of NCAA Division I through Division III schools coming as well as a fair number of unattached athletes who just add to the quality of the meet.”

GOLDEN EAGLE WOMEN LOOK TO BUILD ON LAST SEASON’S SUCCESS

            The Golden Eagles women’s team will be looking to build on the success it experienced last year when Clarion finished sixth at the PSAC meet, qualified three athletes for the NCAA Division II meet and had two athletes score at the national meet helping Clarion to a 44^th place finish.

            “We are already off to a good start,” Mooney said. “We opened at the Coastal Carolina meet, and we already have nine PSAC qualifiers and one provisional national qualifier. We have a good group of seniors to lead the way, and we are finding that once one, two, or three athletes open some doors it makes it a lot easier for the others to do the same. That has happened especially in the throws and distances in past couple of years. Once we get one, it seems to make it easier to get two or three (qualified).”

            The two national place winners were Melissa Terwilliger, who finished fifth in the 10,000-meter run, and Julie Evenoski, who took eighth in the javelin.

Terwilliger’s national meet followed a sensational PSAC meet that saw her finish third in both the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races while scoring 12 of Clarion’s 43 points. Terwilliger is the school record holder in three events – 3,000 (10:24.15), the 5,000 (17:46.42) and the 10,000 (35:57.99) – setting all three record last season. She followed up the quality track season with a sensational cross country season this past fall finishing third at the PSAC’s, fourth at the Regional and 17^th in the nation while earning All-American honors becoming the first women’s NCAA All-American in school history in cross country.

“Melissa had an excellent spring last year and an excellent fall,” Mooney said. “She is already off to a good start this year. She runs the 3,000 and 5,000 really well, but her best event is the 10,000.”

Evenoski, who holds the school record in the javelin with a throw of 145-8 last season, also had a very solid PSAC meet finishing second in the javelin and fifth in the shot put scoring 10 points for the Golden Eagles.

            “Julie came here as a great athlete and every year she gets better,” Mooney said. “This is her senior season, and we expect the same pattern to continue.”   

            Terwilliger and Evenoski highlight the strength of Clarion’s team – the distance and throwing events.      

            The throws are especially strong with Carrie Bullman, who was the third national qualifier finishing in 11^th place in the javelin, joining Evenoski and Jen Klock to give Clarion a lethal one-two-three punch. Bullman was third at the PSAC’s in the javelin and was at one time the school record holder in the event.  Klock is a three-time PSAC placewinner in the shot put having finished second in 2002 and 2003 and fourth in 2001. She was also eighth in the heptathlon last season, but will not compete in that event this year. Other key returning throwers for the Golden Eagles include PSAC qualifiers Gail Hepler (javelin) and Jessica Crouch (javelin).

            “It (having good throwers) gets contagious,” Mooney said. “They know they are good, and they step up. There is both quality and quantity in the throwing events. When one does well, it makes it easier for someone else to do well. They are all team players.”

            As strong as the throws are for the Golden Eagles, the distance events might even be stronger. While Terwilliger leads the way, she is far from the only quality runner Clarion has.

            Jen Boerner finished third at the PSAC’s in the 1,500 while also qualifying for the PSAC’s in the 800, while Bridget Sardo was sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Additional PSAC qualifiers who return include Sarah Rodgers in the 1,500, Katie Jarzab in the 10,000 and Sarah Reese and Melissa Harkins in the steeplechase. Mooney also expects Sarah Rodgers, Holly Urban, Sue Despot to step up and challenge for PSAC spots this season.

            “The distance runners are pushing themselves and each other,” Mooney said. “At the first meet in South Carolina we had at least two people in each event do well.”

            While the throws and the distances are Clarion’s strengths, the Golden Eagles have talent in the jumps and sprints.

            Nikki Plassio (high jump) and Kristen Werder (long jump, triple jump) both return after PSAC qualifying seasons. Teagan Riggs (long jump, triple jump), Lacy Silvis (pole vault) and Erin Jones (pole vault) will join them.

            “We have some depth in the jumps,” Mooney said.

            The Golden Eagles will be both thin and young in the sprints with freshmen Laura Wissinger (100, 200) and Megan Harman (hurdles) having moved to the front of the group according to Mooney.

YOUTH RULES THE DAY FOR GOLDEN EAGLE MEN

            The Golden Eagle men’s track and field team is a talented but young group of athletes. Of the 22 athletes on the roster, 18 are freshman or sophomores including eight freshmen. There are also four seniors and a junior.

            “It is going to take a year or two to get some experience,” Mooney said. “We do have some talented individuals, but you are never sure how freshmen will make the adjustment to better competition, a different setting and a different coach. It is a year of transition for them. We will know how good they will be next year.”

                        With such a young group, Mooney will look to his four seniors – David Duriancik, Tim Fabrizi, A.J. Mayernik and Chris Noal – and one junior – Thomas Natale – to lead the way

            “They are all giving me a good effort in leadership roles,” Mooney said.

            Duriancik finished fifth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at PSAC’s last year scoring Clarion’s lone points of the meet, while Fabrizi was a PSAC qualifier in the 4x400 relay and the 4x100 relay last season. Mayernik runs the 5,000 and 10,000 for the Golden Eagles. Noal will run the 800, 1,500 and 3,000, and Natale is the team’s top hurdler.

            While the upperclassmen bring talent and leadership, it will be up to the youngsters to help Clarion improve on its 13^th place finish at PSAC’s last year.

            Leading the young guns will be PSAC qualifier Jarrett Williams, who went to the conference meet in the 200 and qualified for the finals before finishing eighth, just 4/10^th of a second out of the scoring. Williams was the team’s MVP last year as a freshman.      

            “Jarrett has really taken a leadership role,” Mooney said. “He is getting very close to scoring points (at PSAC’s), but he is still very young.”

            A talented group of local talent will also be expected to step up for Clarion including three Clarion High School grads – Ben Bevevino, Chris Hollingsworth and BJ Roth – who were all part of a very successful Bobcat program. Another Clarion product Dab Patton will probably red-shirt this year.

            “We are really excited to get some local kids into the men’s program,” Mooney said. “It helps make a connection with the community and the university. It is really nice to have them.”

            Bevevino, who qualified for the PSAC indoor championships in the long jump this winter, Hollingsworth and Patton were all members of two consecutive state championship teams at Clarion with Patton also winning four District 9 titles and Hollingsworth and Bevevino three D9 championships.

            “Clarion is one of the best programs in the state,” Mooney said. “That really helps there kids make the transition to the college level easier.”           

            Additional key contributors for Clarion could be Rob Hebrank (triple jump), Brian Cornelius (high jump), Mike Smith (throws) and Jake Grantz (throws).

            “We are excited about the season,” Mooney said. “We may be young, but they are all eager to learn. It should be a fun learning experience this season.”

            NOTES: The teams participating in the Early Bird in addition to Clarion will be Pitt-Johnstown, Penn State (B team), Westminster, Grove City, Edinboro, St. Vincent (club team), Slippery Rock, Alleghany, Robert Morris, Robert Wesleyan, Mercyhurst, California, Seton Hill, Bethany and Duquesne.