Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., May 30-31 -- at NCAA Mideast Regional Championships (Baton Rouge, La.)
Wed-Sat., June 9-12 -- at NCAA Outdoor Championships (Austin, Texas)
This Week: NCAA Mideast Regional Championships ...
Following its third-consecutive first-place finish at the Big Ten Conference Outdoor Championships, the University of Michigan women's track and field team looks to build upon its successful season, as the Wolverines will send 22 athletes to compete in 15 events to Baton Rouge, La, for the second-annual NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, which will take place Friday and Saturday (May 28-29) at Bernie Moore Track Stadium. Each day's action begins with field events at noon, while running events get started at 4 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Schedule of Events for U-M Competitors
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Break It Down ...
Started last year, during the 2003 outdoor season, four regional meets will now be held to determine the participants for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Michigan is in the Mideast Region and will compete in its regional meet which will be held May 28-29 at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. In order for an athlete to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, she must finish in the top five of an individual event or be a member of a top three relay at the regional championship. The track and field committee will also select a group of at-large athletes to round out the remainder of the Championships field in each event, similar to provisional-qualifying marks in the past.
Recapping the 2003 NCAA Mideast Regional ...
The Wolverines sent 18 athletes to Columbus, Ohio, last year for the inaugural NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Of those 18 athletes, seven qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with thrower Melissa Bickett (Akron, Ohio/Revere HS) earning an automatic spot in three different events, while fellow thrower April Phillips (2000-03) qualified in two events.
Bickett automatically qualified in the discus, hammer throw and shot put during the two-day meet. She earned the automatic trip to Sacramento, Calif., with runner-up showings in the discus (167-1) and hammer throw (193-8) and a third-place finish in the shot put (51-7 3/4).
Phillips garnered her second consecutive trip to the national championship meet when she claimed victory in both the hammer throw (199-2) and shot put (53-9 1/2). Phillips entered the meet as the top seed in each event and showed why she had earned the distinction, besting the field by more than six feet in the hammer throw and nearly two feet in the shot put.
Michigan's other event champion at the regional championship was Stephanie Linz (2002-03), who was the sole jumper to clear 5-10 1/2. With the first-place effort Linz made her second trip of the season to the NCAA Championships.
On the track, Rebecca Walter (Beverly Hills, Mich./Groves HS) placed fourth in the 5,000-meter run with at time of 16:40.83. As one of the top five runners to cross the finish line the then freshman punched her ticket to the national championship meet.
A bit of disappointment loomed over the Wolverines on Saturday though, as the Wolverines did not send their 4x100-meter relay team to the start line. Due to an injury suffered by then sophom*ore Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame HS), U-M was without its anchor and did not put forth an effort to run in the race, electing to instead scratch its entry.
According to NCAA rules, if an athlete or relay team qualifies for an event final, they must put forth an honest effort to compete in that final, unless excused with written documentation from a physician or meet official. Michigan did not receive such documentation and was disqualified from the race. In addition all four athletes on the relay were disqualified from the remainder of the meet's competition, resulting in Vera Simms (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) and Carly Knazze (Southfield, Mich./Southfield HS) missing opportunities to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Where they Stand in the Mideast Regional...
The Wolverines enter the 2004 NCAA Mideast Regional Championships with 19 athletes qualified to compete in 15 events in Baton Rouge, La. Following is a list of how the Maize and Blue stack up with regional competition:
Michigan Performers in the Mideast Regional
100m Dash 1. Veronica Campbell, Arkansas 11.10 10. Sierra Hauser-Price, U-M 11.63 200m Dash 1. Veronica Campbell, Arkansas 22.41 6. Sierra Hauser-Price, U-M 23.66 9. Carly Knazze, U-M 23.75 800m Run 1. Tiffany McWilliams, Miss. St. 2:06.79 23. Anna Jones, U-M 2:09.09 1,500m Run 1. Tiffany McWilliams, Miss. St. 4:09.19 6. Lindsey Gallo, U-M 4:18.15 16. Jessie Allen-Young, U-M 4:27.07 3,000m Steeplechase 1. Briana Shook, Toledo 9:52.31 16. Andrea Parker, U-M 10:33.34 20. Ana Gjesdal, U-M 10:38.09 100m Hurdles 1. Lolo Jones, LSU 12.78 9. Robin Landfair, U-M 13.50 400m Hurdles 1. Beau Walker, Alabama 56.28 4. Vera Simms, U-M 58.21 12. Keri Kirk, U-M 59.50 4x100m Relay 1. Louisana State 42.92 10. Michigan 45.67 (Landfair, Campbell, Knazze, Hauser-Price) 4x400m Relay 1. Louisana State 3:27.04 14. Michigan 3:41.81 (Knazze, Campbell, Maclin, Arnold) High Jump 1. Joise Hahn, Vanderbilt 6-0 (1.83m) 31. Jennifer Kulchar, U-M 5-8 (1.73m) Pole Vault 1. Kira Sims, Akron 14-1 1/4 (4.30m) 2. Elizabeth Boyle, U-M 13-6 1/4 (4.12m) 19. Lynn Gasparella, U-M 12-3 1/4 (3.75m) 21. Kelly Catino, U-M 12-3 1/4 (3.75m) Long Jump 1. Tianna Madison, Tennessee 20-9 3/4 (6.34m) Triple Jump 1. S. Gallimore, Auburn 44-3 1/2 (13.50m) Discus 1. Beth Mallory, Alabama 190-2 (57.96m) 2. Melissa Bickett, U-M 181-9 (55.39m) 16. Bridgette Maynard, U-M 159-10 (48.72m) Hammer Throw 1. Britney Henry, LSU 202-2 (61.61m) 9. Melissa Bickett, U-M 187-9 (57.21m) 16. Ashley Eckel, U-M 180-1 (54.88m) Javelin 1. Brenda-Grace Hunt, La Tech 168-7 (51.38m) 2. Lindsey Stephenson, U-M 165-9 (50.52m) 15. Janelle Jaha, U-M 130-1 (39.66m) Shot Put 1. Aymara Albury, Alabama 56-1 (17.09m) 6. Melissa Bickett, U-M 52-1 3/4 (15.89m) 20. Ashley Eckel, U-M 48-4 3/4 (14.75m)
Recapping Last Weekend: Three Straight Outdoor Team Titles ...
The Wolverines lifted the team Big Ten Conference team hardware for the third consecutive year, as the Maize and Blue compiled a three-day point-total of 148 points to better field by 21.5. U-M received scoring contributions from 23 different athletes in all but one event -- the triple jump, in which U-M did not have an entry.
Leading the way for the Wolverines was senior Melissa Bickett, who accounted for a team-best 21 points and her first Big Ten individual championship with a victory in her signature event, the discus. Bickett marked a winning throw of 170-10 to take home her first career Big Ten title.
On the track, senior/junior Lindsey Gallo (Freehold, N.J./Howell HS) became just the fourth runner in Big Ten history to win both the 800- and 1,500-meter runs, as the Michigan mid-distance specialist won her first two career league titles. She took home the 800-meter crown with a time of 2:07.02 and the 1,500-meter gold medal in 4:24.37.
Michigan had two other event champions, both coming on the infield. Entering the conference meet as the No. 1 seed in the pole vault, sophom*ore Elizabeth Boyle (Northbrook, Ill./New Trier HS) cleared 13-1 3/4 to win the first pole vault championship in Michigan school history.
The final Big Ten individual title came via Lindsey Stephenson's (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg HS) right arm. Stephenson took home the gold medal in the javelin throw, as she sent the pointy stick a personal-best distance of 165-9.
Following the championships, head coach James Henry was named the Big Ten Outdoor Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year.
Point Me in the Right Direction ...
The Wolverines had 23 of their 34 athletes score points and help U-M to its third straight Big Ten team crown two weeks ago. Michigan had seven athletes score in double digits, led by Melissa Bickett (21) and Lindsey Gallo (20). The rest of the Wolverine scorers: Sierra Hauser-Price (15.5), Carly Knazze (10.5), Jessie Allen-Young (10), Elizabeth Boyle (10), Lindsey Stephenson (10), Robin Landfair (7.5), Keri Kirk (6), Shavonne Maclin (4), Janelle Jaha (4), Andrea Parker (4), Lynn Gasparella (4), Candice Wilkey (3), Ashley Eckel (3), Ana Gjesdal (3), Jennifer Kulchar (3), Kelly Catino (2), Mora Arnold (2), Anna Jones (2), Chanelle Campbell (1.5), Doris Simmons (1) and Kiana Stringfield (1).
Triple Threat ...
With its first-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Michigan has now claimed the Big Ten team title three straight years for the first time in school history. U-M is just the second team in Big Ten history to accomplish the feat. Wisconsin is the only other team in league history to have won the team trophy three or more years in a row, as the Badgers claimed four straight conference outdoor crowns from 1984-87.
All-Big Ten Honors ...
Four Michigan athletes earned All-Big Ten first-team honors, as Lindsey Gallo (800m, 1,500m), Melissa Bickett (discus), Elizabeth Boyle (pole vault) and Lindsey Stephenson (javelin) all stood a top the podium following event victories.
The Wolverines also received four All-Big Ten second team accolades from Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame) (100m, 4x400m relay), Mora Arnold (Gregory, Mich./Chelsea HS) (4x400m relay), Carly Knazze (Southfield, Mich./Southfield HS) (4x400m relay) and Shavonne Maclin (University Heights, Ohio/Beaumont School).
One is the Loneliest Number You Could Ever Do ...
Senior/junior Lindsey Gallo became first Wolverine and just the fourth athlete in Big Ten history to win both the 800- and 1,500-meter runs at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Three Wisconsin runners have successfully won the two races, the last coming from Jenni Westphal in 1996. Gallo is also just the sixth Wolverine to win two individual events at a single Big Ten meet (indoor and outdoor). Former standout Tania Longe (1995-98) actually accomplished the feat at both the indoor and outdoor league meets in 1998, winning the pentathlon and long jump indoors and the hepthatlon and long jump outdoors.
Streaky Deaky...
Lindsey Gallo ran a very tactical and successful race to win her first career Big Ten title with a victory in the 1,500-meter run two Sunday's ago in West Lafayette, Ind. The win in the event snapped Wisconsin's 17-year stronghold on the race, as the Badgers had won the race every year dating back to Suzy Favor's first of four straight victories in 1987.
The Michigan 800 ...
Lindsey Gallo's victory in the 800-meter run extended Michigan's winning streak to six straight years at the Big Ten outdoor championships. Former U-M standout Rachel Sturtz (2000-03) won the last three, in 2001, '02 and '03, Sarah Hamilton (1996-2000) took home the hardware in 2000, and Angie Stanifer (1996-97, '99) began the streak with a win in 1999.
The Michigan 800 Part 2 ...
The win also extends the Wolverines' 800-meter winning streak to five straight with wins at the 2002 outdoor, 2003 indoor and outdoor, and now coupled with Theresa Feldkamp's (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele HS) win during the indoor season, the 2004 indoor and outdoor meets.
Up, Up, Up ...
Sophom*ore Elizabeth Boyle used the No. 1 seed in the pole vault at the Big Ten Championships to full advantage, as she won the first Big Ten title in school history in the event. Boyle cleared an NCAA regional qualifying height of 13-1 1-4 to take home her first ever gold medal in Big Ten Championship competition. Heading into this year's league meet no Wolverine had finished higher than third in the event.
Super Sharp Stick ...
Lindsey Stephenson took full advantage of her final year of eligibility as she claimed the Big Ten title in her signature event, the javelin, with a personal-best throw of 165-9. With her first Big Ten title, Stephenson becomes the first Wolverine to win the javelin at the league championships since 1994. Stephenson's personal-best mark bettered her week old distance of 162-9 set in a victory at the Len Paddock Invitational (May 7).
Looking Ahead ...
The Wolverines have a week off before those who qualify compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas. Competition runs from Wednesday through Saturday (June 9-12) in Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
