CLARION READY FOR PSAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Clarion University men’s and women’s cross country teams are ready for the 2007 PSAC Indoor Track and Field Champions being held this weekend at East Stroudsburg.
“We are excited and ready for PSAC’s,” Clarion’s Interim head coach Jayson Resch said. “I believe we have one of the best overall men’s teams in school history, and our women’s team returns most of the key members from last year’s team, that finished a school-best sixth.”
EAGLE WOMEN RETURN 81 PERCENT OF SCORING FROM LAST SEASON
The Clarion women’s team returns 81 percent of its scoring (47 of 58) points from last year’s school-best sixth place team.
That group is led by returning PSAC Champion Erin Richard, who won the 3,000 last year while also finishing second in the Mile and being a member of the PSAC Champion Distance Medley Relay team. Richard, who went on to win PSAC titles in the outdoor 1,5000 and 3,000 last year, would have to be considered the pre-meet favorite in the Mile, the 3,000 and the 5,000 if she were running all three events. She is the top ranked athlete all three events having run school-record times in all three (5:04.24 in the Mile; 9:58.86 in the 3,000 and 17:09.48 in the 5,000). Her times are good enough for seventh in NCAA D-II in the 5,000 and 20th in the mile.
“Erin will focus on running the Mile at the PSAC Championships,” Resch said. “She will also anchor both the Distance Medley Relay and the 4x800 relay.”
Tasha Wheatley scored 10 points at last year’s PSAC’s for Clarion finishing second in the 5,000 and seventh in the 3,000. She has qualified for this year’s championship in both the 3,000 and 5,000 and goes into the event ranked 11th in the 3,000 and 19th in the 5,000.
Diane Kress had nine points at the 2006 PSAC’s finishing third in the long jump and sixth in the pentathlon. This year, she has qualified in the 55 hurdles, triple jump and long jump and is the top ranked athlete in the triple jump, an event she set the school record in last year.
Kate Ehrensberger is also being counted on to help Clarion score points this season. Ehrensberger is ranked second in the 800 entering the meet and will also be a key member of the fourth ranked DMR team. She also will anchor the 4x400 relay.
Three additional athletes have qualified on the track for Clarion including Natalie Cannon in the 55 (ranked 13th), Caitlin Palko in the 5,000 (ranked 22nd) and Andrea Strickenberger in the 55 hurdles (ranked 20th).
In the field, Clarion has also qualified ChiChi Nwokedi in the shot put (10th ranked), Amy Kirkwood in the high jump (12th ranked) and Erin Jones in the pole vault (15th ranked). Nwokedi also qualified in the 55 (28th ranked).
“Our overall team goal is the match last year’s performance and finish in the Top Seven,” Resch said.
GOLDEN EAGLE MEN FEATURE SEVEN QUALIFIERS
Clarion’s men’s team features seven PSAC qualifiers including Frank Ehrensberger, Dan Patton and Dan King, who are all seeded in the Top 10 in their in respective events.
Patton, who was a member of Clarion’s 8th place 4x400 relay team at last year’s championships, has qualified in both the 55 and 200 this year and is seeded seventh in the 2000. He finished fourth in the 55 in 2005. Patton is the school record holder in the 200 (22.77), which he set this year, and in the 55 (6.52), which he set in 2005.
“We are expecting a big performance from Dan this weekend,” Resch said. “In addition to the individual events, he will team with BJ Roth, Frank Ehrensberger and Mark Simbeck in the 4x400 relay, which is currently ranked fourth in the conference.”
In addition to the relay, Ehrensberger will also run in the 200 and 400 and is seeded fifth in the 400. Ehrensberger holds the school record in the 4000 at 49.55.
“Frank is also a key contributor for us,” Resch said.
King is seeded seventh in the high jumper, while also qualifying in the triple jump. He is joined in the high jump by Parker White. King holds school records in both the high jump (6-4) and triple jump (42-8.75).
Additional individual qualifiers for Clarion are BJ Roth in the 400 and 800, Bill Herrmann in the 5,000 and Travis Cyphert in the 5,000. Roth is the school record holder in the 800 (2:38.15)
“Our goal is to finish in the Top 10, which we haven’t done since 2003 when we finished 10th, which was the highest finish in school history,” Resch said.
Erin Richard
Dan Patton