Notre Dame Track And Field Face Final Tune-Up Before Conference Meet

February 7, 2002

2002 Windsor Invitational * Windsor, Ontario
Saturday, Feb. 9, all day
Irish teams head to Canada for Windsor Invitational: For the second consecutive season, the Notre Dame men's and women's indoor track and field teams will head to Windsor, Ontario, for the University of Windsor Team Challenge, set for Saturday, Feb. 9. Both Irish teams will send a limited amount of competitors to the Windsor meet, utilizing the track as a tune up for the 2002 BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championships in Syracuse, N.Y., on Feb. 16 and 17. The Windsor track affords the Irish a chance to see the same dimensions (200 meters) that they will run on at the Carrier Dome in two weeks.

Recap of 2001 Windsor Team Challenge: It was the first trip to the University of Windsor for the Irish track and field teams and Notre Dame was able to take some impressive victories away from the meet. Tameisha King was named the Most Outstanding Female Athlete at the meet, winning three events and setting the meet record in the long jump of 20-0 1/4. Jamie Volkmer also won the pole vault competition for the women's team.

Godwin Mbagwu had a great meet at last season's Team Challenge, takign two individual event titles in the long jump and triple jump. Brian Thornburg joined him in the winner's column for the Irish in the weight throw.

Members of both squads post times among the best in the BIG EAST Conference and the nation this season: Enjoying the opportunity of three consecutive home meets in the Loftus Sports Complex, the Notre Dame women's and men's indoor track and field teams have established themselves among the top teams in the Midwest this season. A number of Irish athletes have put themselves in position to compete in the NCAA Championship (March 8 and 9, in Fayetteville, Ark.) and there are still two meets left in the indoor season to achieve an even better time or mark.

Here is a breakdown of both Irish teams in each event so far this season:

60 meters: The Irish women's team has reaped the benefits of second-year sprinter Ayesha Boyd's steady improvement. As a rookie, Boyd began to show signs of a break-out sophomore season during the 2001 outdoor campaign - taking part in the Irish relay team as they posted two NCAA consideration times in the 4x100 and 4x400. Boyd has carried that momentum into the 2002 indoor season. Her 7.51 60-meter time from the Meyo Invitational is currently ranked third in the BIG EAST, and the sophomore sprinter from Spartanburg, S.C., is in position to battle for the first conference title of her career (she competed, but did not place, in the 60 meters at the BIG EAST indoor meet last season).

Classmate Kristen Dodd will hope to join Boyd in the finals of the 60 meters at the BIG EAST meet. Dodd's 7.67 effort at the Meyo Invitational is currently the ninth-best in the league this year and a personal-best time for Dodd.

On the men's side, the Irish short-sprint group has received a boost from freshman Dwight Ellick. The 2001 Florida State Champion in the 100 and 200 meters, Ellick has just two outdoor meets under his belt this year, but has recorded the third-best time in the conference in the 60 (6.85). Sophomore Ryan Hurd is starting to improve and threatening to join Ellick at the BIG EAST meet, while Jason Beckstrom (who has competed in just one meet this season) has shown the ability to qualify for the BIG EAST meet as well.

60-meter hurdles: Two Irish freshmen have made the biggest impact on the team in the hurdles this season. Tiffany Gunn and Selim Nurudeen have given the Irish some depth in the hurdles that the team has been looking for over the last few years. Gunn's 8.92 effort is eighth in the league this year, and the Irish rookie has her sights set on getting to the finals of the hurdles at the BIG EAST meet. On the men's side, Nurudeen's 8.05 time from his first collegiate meet (Purdue Open) is the third-best in the BIG EAST this season.

Nurudeen and Gunn will not be alone at the BIG EAST meet. Junior Tameisha King ripped off a couple great races in the Meyo Invitational, and is currently ranked second in the league with a 8.48 time. That eclipses King's personal-best effort of 8.49 from the 2001 BIG EAST meet (where she finished fourth).

Sophomores Napolean Suarez and Mark Barber will join Nurudeen in the field at the BIG EAST meet, as both runners have achieved qualifying times in the indoor hurdles for the first time in their careers.

200 meters: As the sprint distance extends, the Irish women's team starts to assert their presence in the BIG EAST and national rankings even more. Ayesha Boyd, senior Liz Grow and junior Kymia Love stand fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively, in the BIG EAST rankings. All three also have the ability to improve their times at either the Windsor meet this weekend or the Alex Wilson Invitational on Feb. 1 and 2. Freshman Latasha Steele also has qualified for the BIG EAST meet, as her 25.62 time at the Meyo Invitational is the best of her young career at Notre Dame.

Dwight Ellick posted the men's team top time in his first 200 meter race of the season at the Meyo Invitational (21.88) and that time is the sixth-best in the conference this season. Ryan Hurd enjoyed a great race in the same heat with Ellick at the Meyo, running a personal-best 21.97 - which is eighth in the BIG EAST. Junior Tom Gilbert, who is just starting to get settled after missing some early-season races due to an illness, also has qualified for the BIG EAST meet (22.18) along with Selim Nurudeen (22.31).

400 meters: This is the event that the Irish women have a chance of dominating at the conference level. Liz Grow and Kymia Love pushed each other to two great times at the Meyo Invitational - as Grow's 53.89 is the best in the conference this season and currently ranks eighth in the country. Love's 54.23 effort was a personal best, and is right behind Grow in the conference rankings. Love's time is nationally ranked as well (14th).

The Irish women's team doesn't stop with just those two in the 400. Kristen Dodd (55.94) and Ayesha Boyd (56.38) have both qualified for the BIG EAST meet and all four Notre Dame sprinters have the ability to advance to the finals.

On the men's side, James Bracken has posted the top time in the 400 this season (49.08) and will make an appearance at the conference and national meet as a member of the distance medley relay team. Freshman Trevor McClain-Duer has steadily improved his times in his rookie indoor season, and is in the BIG EAST field with a 49.85 time from the Western Michigan/Ball State meet.

500 meters: While not an NCAA Championship event, the 500 meters is competed at the BIG EAST Championship - and the Irish are in good position to score some valuable team points in the competition. Trevor McClain-Duer has the men's top time - 1:03.99 - which he ran at the Meyo Invitational. Notre Dame football place kicker Nick Setta is right behind McClain-Duer with a 1:04.62 time. Both times rank in the top 15 of the BIG EAST list and each runner has the ability to improve that time at the conference meet.

Taking into consideration the Irish women's team talent in the 400 meters, it is no surprise that the squad has a number of runners poised to compete for the 500 title at the conference meet. Liz Grow's 1:12.61 time run vs. Western Michigan/Ball State is her only 500 race of the season and the time ranks fifth in the conference. Kymia Love, in similar fashion to the 400, is right behind Grow in the conference ranks with a 1:13.03 time.

Senior Amanda Alvarez ran a career-best 1:14.75 in the 500 meters vs. Western Michigan/Ball State and will be in the field at the BIG EAST meet as well.

800 meters: Moving up to the longer distance events, the talent does not fall off for the Irish. Freshman Eric Morrison, another member of Notre Dame's talented men's distance medley relay team, has recorded the top time of 1:51.86 (eighth in the league), while DMR teammate Kevin Somok, along with Colin Quinn and Kevin Avenius, have all qualified for BIG EAST Championship competition.

The women's team can send four athletes to the 800 meter competition. Freshman cross country All-American Lauren King (2:13.35), sophomore Megan Johnson (2:13.63), freshman Kerry Meagher (2:16.95) and junior Kristin Flood (2:17.33) have all qualified for the championship meet.

1,000 meters: Another competition that is not in the NCAA program, the Irish have only competed in one 1,000-meter race this year. Lauren King, Kerry Meagher and junior Ana Morales have all met the qualification time on the women's team. Nate Andrulonis and Geoff Rudziewicz will be in the field for the men. Both teams could qualify additional runners for the BIG EAST meet at this weekend's Windsor Invitational.

Mile run: The Irish men's team has a number of runners that excel at the mile distance, as eight different runners have met the BIG EAST qualification time. Kevin Somok stands at the top of the list for the Irish, as his 4:07.92 time is fourth in the conference. He is followed by Sean Zanderson (4:09.12), Ryan Shay (4:09.97), Eric Morrison (4:09.97) and Luke Watson (4:10.06). Tom Lennon, John Keane and Pat Conway also have reached the BIG EAST qualifying time this season.

Megan Johnson's Meyo Invitational time of 4:51.39 is seventh in the conference this season, and the Irish middle distance specialist has shaved seconds off her time in each race this season. Jennifer Handley also has reached a qualification time in the mile, but might concentrate on the 5,000 meter race at the conference meet.

3,000 meters: As the distance continues to rise, the power of the Notre Dame group of harriers becomes apparent. A stellar 3,000-meter race at the Meyo Invitational last weekend left Luke Watson and Ryan Shay ranked second and third in the conference (7:54.02 and 7:58.73, respectively). Watson is set to duel Villanova's Adrian Blincoe (7:47.50) in the 3,000 at the BIG EAST meet, as track and field fans will get a chance to see the top two 3,000-meter runners in the nation. Watson and Shay also will compete in the 3,000 at the NCAA Championship.

Both Irish athletes will not be running alone at the conference meet, however. John Keane, Todd Mobley and David Alber have all qualified to appear in the BIG EAST 3,000-meter field this season.

Lauren King's 3,000-meter time (9:35.86) from the Meyo Invitational is sixth in the conference and currently ranked 17th in the nation at this point. Jennifer Handley is right behind King in the conference rankings (9:41.83) and has the ability to post an NCAA consideration time at the conference meet. Junior Jennifer Fibuch (10:09.80) will join Handley and King in the field as well.

5,000 meters: Just one 5,000-meter race has been run by both teams this season, but Ryan Shay utilized the chance to run a school-record time. Battling NCAA Champion David Kimani to the finish line, Shay's 13:46.80 time is the best in the conference this season and the second-best in the nation. Todd Mobley's 14:23.12 time is fifth in the BIG EAST, followed by David Alber (14:26.23) in sixth and John Keane (14:59.86) in 14th.

Jennifer Handley, Notre Dame's top women's distance runner, has not yet run the 5,000 this season, but Katie Wales was able to qualify for the BIG EAST meet with a 17:50.08 effort at the Meyo Invitational.

4x400 relay: The women's 4x400 relay team proved that they are one of the best in the nation at the Meyo Invitational, posting the third-best time (3:37.33) in the nation this season. The team of Kymia Love, Kristen Dodd, Ayesha Boyd and Liz Grow believe that they can run even faster - and the Irish are poised to win the BIG EAST title in the relay and possibly compete for a national championship at the NCAA meet.

Triple Jump: The men's team will send three qualifiers to the BIG EAST meet in the triple jump. Senior Quill Redwine, slowed by some leg problems, busted out with a 14.17m leap at the Meyo Invitational and enters the conference meet ranked seventh. Godwin Mbagwu (13.98m) and Scott Kelley (13.60m) have also met the qualification measurement.

The women's top triple jump specialist is also its top pole vaulter. Junior Jamie Volkmer has improved her triple jump measurement in each meet this season. She is currently sixth in the conference with a 11.74m measurement.

Long Jump: It all came together for junior Tameisha King at the Meyo Invitational. She posted her top 60-meter hurdle time of the year, and busted out to leap 6.27m in the long jump. That measurement is easily the best in the conference this season and is fourth in the nation as well.

The men's top long jump threat is junior Tom Gilbert. His 7.15m against Michigan State stands fifth in the conference, and the third-year jumper and sprinter is getting better and better in each meet.

High Jump: The women's team will send a host of competitors to the BIG EAST Championship in the high jump. Betsy Lazzeri, Kaitlin Meiser, Jennifer Kearney and Kim Utterson have all reached the minimum qualification height to compete in the meet. The Irish also got a boost from Emily Loomis, who plays volleyball at Notre Dame but is a four-time Indiana State Champion in the high jump, at the Meyo Invitational. Loomis cleared 1.73m in her first collegiate meet and is currently ranked third in the conference.

The men's team also will be well represented at the conference meet. Ryan Mineburg (2.01m), Quill Redwine (2.00m) and Chris Staron (1.95) will all figure in the high jump field at the Carrier Dome.

Throws: Derek Dyer tossed the shot put 15.53m at the Purdue Open, his first competition of the season, to qualify for the BIG EAST meet. That measurement currently stands 11th on the conference list. Brian Thornburg's 16.77m effort in the weight throw against Michigan State is a personal-best for the Irish junior, and puts him sixth in the conference rankings.

Pole Vault: The women's pole vault group has traditionally been one of the strongest point-scoring threats at the BIG EAST meet over the last few seasons. This year's BIG EAST Championship will be no different. Jamie Volkmer hit her stride at the Meyo Invitational, clearing 3.66m (third in the conference) and making three solid attempts at an NCAA qualification height. Sophomore Jill Van Weelden has been strong all year, clearing a personal-best 3.50m vs. Western Michigan/Ball State. Senior Natalie Hallett (3.40m) also will be in the pole vault competition at the BIG EAST meet.

Josh Heck will carry the Irish hopes in the pole vault. The senior is 10th in the conference this season with a 4.72 effort vs. Western Michigan/Ball State.

Alan Wasielewski, Publicity Assistant
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