Feb. 20, 2005
Syracuse, NY – The distance crew held up their end of the bargain, staking claim to 25 points in the 3,000 meters, as the Irish went from nine points behind Rutgers to fourteen points ahead. The athletes in the weight throw on Saturday gave the Notre Dame men a lead heading into Sunday, and the team competition went back and forth between the Scarlet Knights and the Fighting Irish the entire weekend. The Irish finally clinched the title with a second-place finish in the 4×800-meter relay. The final score in the men’s meet was Notre Dame – 182, Rutgers – 168.5.
Selim Nurudeen of Notre Dame, individual 60 meter hurdles and 200 meter dash champion, was named the Men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer. Trevor Ogrady of Rutgers, the men’s heptathlon individual champion, was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer.
The Irish women had a strong effort all around, particularly in the sprints, but it was not enough to overcome Pittsburgh, who won the meet by 21.5 over the Irish (161.5 to 140). The Notre Dame women did win a pair of individual championships in the long sprints, as Tiffany Gunn and Okechi Ogbuokiri won the 400-meter dash and the 500-meter dash respectively.
Selim Nurudeen defended his 60 meter hurdles title from a year ago and broke his BIG EAST record in the process. The senior from Notre Dame set the BIG EAST record at last year’s championship (7.78) and bettered that mark with this year’s finish (7.72). Nurudeen also won the 200 meter dash individual title in a time of 21.38, outdistancing Rob Waters (21.69) of Rutgers for first place. Syracuse sophomore Aulton Kohn took first place in the 60 meter dash in a time of 6.73, just ahead of Notre Dame’s Dwight Ellick (6.78).
Kurt Benninger claimed the mile individual crown, crossing the finish line in a time of 4:12.14. The Notre Dame sophomore outdistanced Pittsburgh’s Sam Bair (4:12.93) for first place. Benninger doubled up on the individual titles, with a first-place finish in the 3,000 meter race. He crossed the finish line in a time of 8:15.22, just ahead of teammate Tim Moore (8:17.04) and Georgetown’s Rod Koborsi (8:17.08).
Notre Dame sophomore Okechi Ogbuokiri took first place in the women’s 400 meter dash in a time of 54.99. She held off challenges from two Georgetown runners, sophomores Kandance Ferguson (55.78) and Nichole Torpey (57.27) to capture the title. Pittsburgh took two of the top three spots in the 200 meter dash, with senior Kimberly Lyles finishing first (24.00) and freshman Shanea Calhoun taking third (24.27). Notre Dame sophomore Maryann Erigha finished second (24.09).
In his final season running for Providence, Liam Reale won the men’s 1,000 meter individual title with a time of 2:24.58. He edged Villanova’s Ryan Hayden (2:25.97) for first place. In the 800 meter race, Valerij Petrulevich (Syracuse), Richard Jones (Providence) and Mark Korich (Villanova) battled to the finish line, with the trio finishing within three tenths of a second of each other. Petrulevich claimed the individual title in a time of 1:51.61 with Jones (1:51.79) and Korich (1:51.91) right on his heels.
Villanova sophomore Dew Eckman (1:02.38) took first place in the 500 meter dash, edging Ryan Westman (1:03.10) of Rutgers. Seton Hall junior Quentin Bowens captured the 400 meter dash individual title in a time of 47.90. Georgetown junior Chris Bonner (48.45) placed second.
In the 4×800 meter relay, the Wildcats held off challenges from Notre Dame and Georgetown to claim the title in a time of 7:37.84. Rutgers made a late push to catch Villanova at the finish line in the 4×400 meter relay. The Scarlet Knights were crowned the champions, finishing in a time of 3:17.49.
Rutgers junior Rowan Clarke won the triple jump competition with a jump of 14.61 meters. Fellow Scarlet Knight Gary Peters took second place, with his best jump reaching 14.27 meters. In the men’s shot put, Justin Clickett and Sam Segond finished first and second respectively. Pittsburgh’s Clickett took the title with a 18.30 meter toss and Segond of Rutgers finished just behind at 18.28 meters. In day one of action, Segond took the 35 pound weight throw title with Clickett finishing second.
Trevor Ogrady was crowned the men’s individual heptathlon champion, finishing the seven-event competition with 5,168 points. The senior from Rutgers beat fellow Scarlet Knights Greg Ostrowicki (5,006) and Adam Golembeski (4,892) to win the title. Rutgers also claimed the top two spots in the men’s high jump competition with seniors Lonnie Washington and Trevor Ogrady finishing first and second respectively. Washington claimed the individual crown with his highest jump marked at 2.06 meters.
Villanova junior Marina Muncan pulled away from the pack to take first place in the women’s 1,000 meter race. Muncan crossed the finish line in a time of 2:49.13 followed by West Virginia’s Jennifer Davis (2:52.11). Fellow Mountaineer, senior Jennifer Kemp (2:10.26) took home the 800 meter title, outdistancing Villanova’s Colleen Taylor (2:10.91) for first place.
Maureen McCandless, the 2005 individual 5,000 meter champion, finished first in the 3,000 meter race to earn her second individual title of the championships. The senior from Pittsburgh held off two Notre Dame runners to win the event in a time of 9:23.32. The Irish’s Stephanie Madia (9:25.12) and Sunni Olding (9:36.13) finished second and third respectively.
In the mile race, Muncan used the final lap to put distance between herself and the rest of the field, crossing the finish line in a time of 4:50.17, two seconds ahead of Notre Dame’s Stephanie Madia (4:52.29). Villanova senior Ioana Parusheva (4:52.54) took third place. Tiffany Gunn and Arusha McKenzie battled for first place in the 500 meter dash. Gunn (1:13.44), the lone Notre Dame entrant, edged McKenzie (1:13.88) the only Wildcat in the race.
In the 60 meter hurdles, Villanova’s Monique Morgan claimed the individual title in a time of 8.42. The sophomore finished two seconds ahead of Connecticut senior April Garner (8.44). In her final BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championship, Kerrian Stewart was crowned the 60 meter dash individual champion in a time of 7.49. She was the lone St. John’s runner in the field of eight.
In the 4×800 meter relay, Villanova put six seconds between it and the second-place finisher, Georgetown, to capture the title in a time of 8:53.34. The Hoyas captured the 4×400 meter title, finishing in a time of 3:47.37.
Amanda Walker returned for day two of competition ready to defend her 2004 shot put title. In the first day of action, the Pittsburgh senior set a new BIG EAST, and Carrier Dome, mark for the women’s 20 pound weight throw with a 21.12 toss that won her the individual title. The senior matched her day-one effort, by defending her shot put crown and setting a new BIG EAST, and Carrier Dome, record for the women’s shot put with a 16.67 meter toss.
Syracuse senior Jenna Grimaldi took first place in the women’s high jump competition with a 1.77 meter finish. Teammate sophomore Sheron Mark was crowned the triple jump individual champion with her longest jump reaching 12.94 meters.
Pittsburgh made a clean sweep of the women’s awards. Maureen McCandless was selected as the Most Outstanding Track Performer. McCandless took both the 5,000 meter and the 3,000 meter races. Teammate Amanda Walker was chosen the Most Outstanding Field Performer. Walker set new BIG EAST, and Carrier Dome, records for both the weight throw and the shot put. Finally, the Pittsburgh coaches were awarded with Coach Staff of the Year accolades.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
MEN1. Notre Dame 1822. Rutgers 168.53. Pittsburgh 984. Georgetown 775. Villanova 756. Syracuse 537. Seton Hall 38.58. Providence 389. Connecticut 23.510. Boston College 19.5
WOMEN1. Pittsburgh 161.52. Notre Dame 1403. Georgetown 904. Villanova 845. West Virginia 57.56. Boston College 537. Rutgers 508. Syracuse 45.59. St. John's 3710. Connecticut 34.511. Seton Hall 1712. Providence 8
2005 BIG EAST INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD AWARD WINNERS
Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Selim Nurudeen, Notre DameMen's Most Outstanding Field Performer: Trevor Ogrady, RutgersMen's Coaching Staff of the Year: Notre Dame and RutgersWomen's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Maureen McCandless, PittsburghWomen's Most Outstanding Field Performer: Amanda Walker, PittsburghWomen's Coaching Staff of the Year: Pittsburgh