CLARION READY FOR PSAC’S; MEET MAY 12-14 AT MANSFIELD
The Clarion University track and field teams are set to compete at the 2005 PSAC Track and Field Championships May 12-14 at Mansfield.
“This is an exciting time of year,” first-year head coach Dan Caulfield said. “We are looking for our athletes to continue to improve like they have done all season. That is all you can ask from them.”
FIFTEEN EAGLE WOMEN QUALIFY FOR PSAC’S
Fifteen athletes on the women’s team have qualified for the PSAC’s for the Golden Eagles.
Last year, Clarion placed eighth at PSAC’s behind the strength of five athletes placing at the event. Two of those athletes return this season – distance runner Melissa Terwilliger and high jumper Nikki Plassio.
Terwilliger, a senior, is a four-time PSAC qualifier in track finishing fourth in the 5,000 and seventh in the 3,000 last year, third in both the 3,000 and 5,000 in 2004 and fourth in the 10,000 in 2002. Last season she also qualified for the NCAA’s in the 10,000 for the second straight season. She finished 13th in the nation in 2004 and 5th in 2003. This season she has qualified for PSAC’s in the 5,000 and 10,000.
Plassio, a junior, tied for sixth at PSAC’s last season and returns to the meet in the event this year.
Sophomore Tasha Wheatley joins the two returning PSAC placewinners in giving Clarion a strong nucleus. Wheatley is a provisional national qualifier in the 3,000 steeplechase and has also qualified for the PSAC meet in the 1,500 and 5,000.
Four multiple qualifiers join the nucleus including freshman Erin Richard in the 800 and 1,500, junior Katie Jarzab in the 5,000 and 10,000, sophomore Sonya Swanson in the 100 and 200 and senior Sarah Rodgers in the 800 and 1,500.
Jarzab returns to PSAC’s after a year away, while Rodgers is making her second consecutive appearance at the meet after running the 80 and 1,500 last year with including finishing ninth in the 1,500. Swanson, a transfer from Pitt, and Richard are making their first appearances at the meet.
Eight athletes qualified for the PSAC’s in one event, although sophomore Holly Urban qualified in the 800 but won’t compete because of an injury according to Caulfield.
Sophomores Erin Jones (pole vault) and Carrie Wagner (shot put) are joined by junior Gail Hepler (javelin) sophomore Autumn Shaffer (steeplechase), junior Kristen Werder (long jump), junior Sue Despot (800) and sophomore Kristy Clarke (400) round out the field for the Golden Eagles, who also qualified two relays (4x100) and (4x400).
“We are younger than we were last year,” Caulfield said. “But we have some quality athletes competing, and I know they will all have good meets.”
GOLDEN EAGLE MEN QUALIFY SEVEN
The Clarion’s men’s team qualified seven athletes for the PSAC’s.
Sophomore Dan Patton from nearby Clarion High School qualified in four events – 200, long jump, high jump and decathlon.
“We are only going to run Dan in the 200, the 4x100 relay and the 4x400 relay at PSAC’s,” Caulfield said. “He has already qualified for the NCAA’s in the decathlon, and that event is a lot like the marathon. You can only really run it a few times.”
Two additional athletes are multiple qualifiers for the Golden Eagles including junior Jarrett Williams in the 100 and 200 and freshman Chris Clark in the 1,500 and 5,000.
Williams is a 3-time PSAC qualifier having qualified in the 100 three times now and the 200 twice.
BJ Roth, another Clarion High School product, has qualified in the 400 hurdles, while junior Matt Reinhold qualified in the 1,500, sophomore Rob Hebrank in the triple jump and freshman Mark Simbeck in the 400 hurdles.
“It’s nice to see seven individuals qualify for the meet,” Caulfield said. “Last year there were only three individual qualifiers so things are going in the right direction.”
GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES – The best finished recently for Clarion are a sixth place finish by the women’s team in 2003 and a sixth place finish by the men’s team in 1997, its best in two decades … The NCAA’s will be held May 26-28 at Abilene Christian … Clarion’s women finished 12th with five points at the PSAC Indoor Track and Field Meet in February, while the men were also 12th with four points.