Feb. 18, 2003
The Army men's track & field team will look to make it 10-straight indoor crowns, while the Bucknell women's squad will attempt to repeat at the 2003 Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championships being held at Sanford Field House on the campus of Colgate University from Friday, Feb. 21 through Sunday, Feb. 23.
On the men's side, the Black Knights, who were the pre-season favorite, return nine All-League performers from a year ago, including the 2002 Patriot League Men's Indoor Field Performer of the Meet Jeff Weaver (Kahoka, Mo.). Weaver was the gold medalist in the triple jump and was the runner-up in the high and long jumps at last year's championship.
Other returning all-stars for Army are senior Eric Motzenbecker (Manasquan, N.J.), juniors Trevor Hopper (Keller, Texas), Ed Ayers (Raleigh, N.C.), Jonathan Dreher (Glencoe, Ill.), Evan Nepher-Lockard (Upper Darby, Pa.) and Rodney Manzo (Wallkill, N.Y.) and sophomores Tony Corona (Dallas, Texas) and Marc Haseman (Fairfax, Va.). Dreher collected all-star accolades for the third time after finishing second in the 800, while Manzo finished first in the high jump at the 2002 championship.
The 2002 runner-up Bucknell Bison tout four returning All-League performers, led by two-time all-star Greg Costello (Pittsburgh, Pa.). The senior broke the tape in the 3,000-meter run and crossed the finish line second in the 5,000. Junior Noel Powell (Tamaqua, Pa.), who was a three-time PL Men's Field Athlete of the Week this season, collected all-star accolades for the second-straight year after winning the long jump. Powell was also honored as the ECAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week three times during the 2003 campaign.
Senior Eric Furst (Goshen, N.Y.) and junior Tom Prochilo (Merrick, N.Y.) gained All-League status in 2002 by virtue of a second-place finish by the distance medley relay squad.
Lafayette will look to improve on its third-place finish at last year's championship. The Leopards are led by two-time All-Leaguer Machel Morrison (Kingston, Jamaica). The junior was the 55-meter dash gold medalist in 2002. Other runners to watch for LC include senior Jon Apostoles (Londonderry, N.H.) and Alvin Lyte (Middle Village, N.Y.) and junior Kristopher Carey (Montclair, N.J.). The trio garnered all-star honors after second-place finishes in the 400-meters (Apostoles), 500-meter run (Lyte) and the 55-meter hurdles (Carey).
Colgate, which finished fourth at last year's championship, brings back 2002 Men's Indoor Track Performer of the Meet Tyrone Russell (Ithaca, N.Y.). The senior, who was the Feb. 11 Men's Track Athlete of the Week, broke the PL meet record in the 200 last year with a time of 21.88. Russell also collected a gold medal in the 400-meter race and anchored the 4x400 team that came in first place.
The Raiders also have the services of 2002 all-stars Mike Saunders (Albion, N.Y.), Eric Hiller (Elizabethtown, Pa.) and Sean Lingley (Sudlbury, Mass). Saunders was the runner-up in the 1,000-meter run, while Hiller and Lingley were members of the 4x400 relay team. Junior Louis Di Nuzzo (Loudonville, N.Y.) was tabbed the League and ECAC men's track weekly winner Feb. 4 after a solid outing at the Northeastern Husky Classic.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks are led by senior Chris Lambert (Livingston, N.J.) and junior George Evans (Boardman, Ohio). The duo took home All-League accolades a year ago. Lambert was the pentathlon champion, while Evans was the runner-up in the 55-meter dash. During the 2003 campaign, Evans broke the LU record in the 55 and was named the PL Men's Track Athlete of the Week Jan. 21.
In the field, sophomore Nick Maiorino (Penfield, N.Y.) and Francis Vincent (East Lyme, Conn.) garnered the Patriot League and ECAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week awards Dec. 10 and Jan. 21, respectively.
Navy was the pre-season pick to finish in a third-place tie, despite a sixth-place outing at the 2002 championship. The lone returing all-star for the Mids is sophomore Keeson Jurick (Houston, Texas), who was second in the triple jump a year ago. Junior Bubba Durrum (Mt. Pleasant, Texas) is also expected to contribute in the field events. He was the Feb. 11 Patriot League and ECAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week after winning the pole vault at a five-way meet against Saint Joseph's, La Salle, Fordham and Delaware.
American will rely on the distance events to score points. Senior Sean O'Brien (Tewksbury, Mass.) was a three-time PL Men's Runner of the Week this season and won the mile at last year's championship. The Eagles also have senior Joven Colas (Springfield, Va.), juniors Frank Malpigli (Bay Shore, N.Y.), Matt Seymour (Rockville, Md.) and Carlos Hunt (Waldorf, Md.) and sophomore Sean Duffy (Holmes, Pa.), all of whom were All-League performers from a year ago.
Junior Dan Conti (Hubbardston, Mass.) was the lone All-Leaguer for Holy Cross at last year's championship. He was second in the pentathlon in 2002.
The women's slate is headed by the 2002 champion Bison, who have three all-stars back in the fold, including Rehana Lanewala (Newark, N.J.). The sophomore broke the tape in the 200-meter event a year ago.
Other notable returnees for BU are fellow sophomore Amy Calvo (Trenton, N.J.), who was the Jan. 21 Women's Track Athlete of the Week for the Patriot League and the ECAC. At the 2002 championship, Calvo collected All-League honors thanks to a second-place finish in the 500. Senior Nicki Piper (Mineral Point, Pa.) was an all-star recipient a year ago, while classmate Theresa Dennis (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) won the PL and ECAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week award Dec. 10.
Army's women's squad was the runner-up at last year's championship, but was the pre-season favorite in a vote of the League's coaches and sports information directors to take this year's crown. Field athlete Sara Fields (Bloomington, Ind.) headlines the list of Black Knight particpants. The junior earned All-League accolades as a silver medlist in the shot put at the 2002 indoor championship. She was also the 2002 Patriot League Outdoor Women's Field Performer of the Meet.
In addition to Fields, the Black Knights have a six other all-stars back from a year ago, including Tiffany Martin (San Antonio, Texas), Tracey Coleman (Milwaukee, Wis.), Lauren Rowe (Woodbridge, Va.), Ashley Albritton (Huntington, Texas), Kimberly Allen (Jackson, Miss.) and Kindall Witter-Tilton (Oro Valley, Ariz.).
Martin opened the 2002-03 season with a school-record time in the 55-meters (6.84) at the West Point Invitational. Her time is the fastest in the League this season by 0.2 seconds. At last year's championship, Coleman stood atop the podium in the weight throw, while Rowe crossed the finish line first in the 55-meter hurdles in record-breaking fashion with a time of 8.25 seconds. Albritton (weight throw), Allen (55-meters) and Witter-Tilton (pole vault) all gained All-League status by virtue of runner-up finishes at last year's championship.
Navy, which finished third at last year's championship, has five all-stars on its roster from the 2002 championship, including sophomore Tineisha Davis (Madisonville, Ky.), who broke the League record in the 400-meters with a time of 55.34. Seniors Amy Stokes (Fort Washington, Md.), Joanna Uwujaren (Burke, Va.) and Shannon Crites (Powell, Ohio) and junior Kacee Jossis (Boise, Idaho) also gained All-League recognition a year ago. Crites was the PL Women's Field Athlete of the Week Feb. 11.
Lehigh is led by senior Justina Barone (Dunkirk, N.Y.), junior Katie Dukatz (LaCrosse, Wis.) and sophomore Khayla Lowe (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who were all-stars a year ago. The duo collected a 1-2 finish in the pentathlon, while Barone also took home the silver medal in the 55-meter hurdles. The Mountain Hawks are strong in the field again this season. Sophomore Lindsay Hinsch (Unadilla, N.Y.) was a two-time PL Women's Field Athlete of the Week winner, while Dukatz was the Jan. 21 honoree.
Lafayette will look for solid performances out of All-Leaguers Olivia Tusinski (Bernardston, Mass.) and Julie Harms (Marlton, N.J.). Tusinski was the runner-up in the pole vault and Harms was on the first-place distance medley relay team at last year's championship. Freshman Kathleen Evangelista (Cinnaminson, N.J.) took home the League's weekly track honors Feb. 11 after a solid outing at the Lafayette Quad meet.
Sophomore Beth Stephenson (Hyannis, Mass.) claimed the long jump crown a year ago to lead Colgate. Senior Danielle Gabay (Mississauga, Ontario) joined Stephenson on the distance medley relay team that finished second at the 2002 championship. Sophomore Nolana Quince (Syracuse, N.Y.), who was the Jan. 28 PL Women's Field Athlete of the Week, is expected to vie for the the pentathlon crown. She has the second-highest point total in the League this season.
American will depend heavily on its distance game to get in the hunt for the 2003 indoor title. Headlining the list of Eagle participants is 2002 Cross Country champion Samia Akbar (Herndon, Va.). Akbar also won the Jan. 28 Women's Track Athlete of the Week for the League and the ECAC. Freshman Keira Carlstrom (Oakton, Va.) has also had a solid rookie campaign, winning the League's weekly track athlete award Jan. 14.
Holy Cross will look to junior Kaitlyn Wright (Londonderry, N.H.) and sophomore Bethany Miczek (Leicester, Mass.) to improve on their finishes at last year's championship. Wright came in fourth in the mile run, while Miczek was sixth in the pentathlon.