May. 1, 2005
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame track and field team wrapped up preparations for next weekend’s BIG EAST Outdoor Championships by competing in two meets this past weekend, the Drake Relays at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Hillsdale Gina Relays at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich.
The Irish posted several top performances over the span of the weekend, garnering five first-place finishes (all at the Hillsdale meet) and producing 23 season-best performances while qualifying several more athletes for the BIG EAST meet, to be held this Friday through Sunday at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J.
Drake Relays
The Irish sent a contingent of 10 athletes to compete in the prestigious Drake Relays and met with mixed results.
Notre Dame added two new qualifiers for the BIG EAST meet in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase as Jake Watson (7th place, 9:10.44) and Ryan Johnson (11th, 9:14.35) both surpassed the conference’s qualifying standard. In the 800, Adam Currie placed eighth in 1:52.36 while Selim Nurudeen was ninth in a special section of the 110-meter hurdles with a solid performance of 13.94. The Irish fielded a foursome of Eric Morrison, Brett Adams, Jake Watson and Todd Ptacek in the men’s 4×1,600-meter relay and placed third in 16:44.12.
The women’s team was represented at Drake by high jumpers Emily Loomis and Stacey Cowan. While neither matched their season-best performances both had solid outings against a strong field of competitors. Loomis placed sixth with a clearance of 1.70 meters (five feet, seven inches) and Cowan was 11th with a leap of 1.65m (5-5).
Hillsdale Gina Relays
Notre Dame’s contingent of 49 athletes racked up several impressive performances at Hillsdale, led by victories in five events including two meet records and 21 season-best efforts.
Leading the way were meet records in the women’s 1,500 meters and the women’s 4×100-meter relays. Kerry Meagher smashed the meet record in the 1,500 with a time of 4:27.01. While well off her 2005 best of 4:22.83 (set recently at the Mt. SAC Relays), Meagher’s effort served notice that the veteran is ready to make a strong showing in the event at the BIG EAST meet. Likewise, Notre Dame’s outing in the 4×100, in which the Irish crossed the tape at a season-best 46.01 seconds, also sent a message that the Irish could be a factor in the relay at the conference meet.
Notre Dame also picked up victories in the women’s 100 (Maryann Erigha in 11.64 seconds), the women’s 400 (Okechi Ogbuokiri in 54.74) and the men’s javelin (Derek Goguen with a toss of 58.49 meters/191 feet, 11 inches).
The Irish figure to show impressive depth at the BIG EAST meet next weekend after adding to their deep list of qualifiers. Below is a list of athletes who produced conference qualifying marks and/or season-best outings at the Hillsdale Gina Relays.Athlete Event PerformanceMaryann Erigha women's 100 11.64*Brienne Davis women's 100 12.01*#Okechi Ogbuokiri women's 400 54.74*Crysta Swayzer women's 400 56.58*#Kerry Meagher women's 1,500 4:27.01*#Jean Marinangeli women's 5,000 17:12.73*#Maggie Nelsen women's 5,000 17:53.48#Domenique Manning women's 100 hurdles 14.38*Julie Opet women's 3k steeplechase 11:10.74*#Elizabeth Phillipp women's 3k steeplechase 11:23.89*#Meghan Horn women's shot put 14.35m*#Meghan Horn women's discus 45.64m*#Amber Jackson women's discus 39.60m*#Meghan Horn women's hammer throw 47.89m*#Kate Duman women's javelin 39.76m*Tommie Lee men's 100 11.07*#Ryan Regula men's 100 11.23#Ryan Regula men's 200 23.41#Tom Longo men's 5,000 14:37.44*#Michael Manning men's 5,000 14:56.32*#Jose Genao men's 110 hurdles 14.92 *#Austin Wechter men's 400 hurdles 55.01*#Mike Schubert men's shot put 14.13m*Garet Koxlein men's discus 45.20m*Chip Roberts men's discus 44.85m*#Kyle Annen men's discus 43.41m*#Kyle Annen men's hammer throw 55.94m*#Chip Roberts men's hammer throw 54.05m*Garet Koxlein men's hammer throw 49.68m*Kevin Moffitt men's hammer throw 45.44m*#Derek Goguen men's javelin 58.49m*
*indicates BIG EAST qualifying mark#indicates season-best performance