Junior Michelle Brown is ranked No. 2 in 400m on the NCAA East Preliminary Qualifying List

May 1, 2013

Irish Set for 2013 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championships

May 1, 2013

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams travel to Piscataway, N.J., this weekend (May 3-5) to participate in the 2013 BIG EAST Outdoor Championships held on the campus of Rutgers University.

The men’s squad searches for its ninth title in program history and fifth within the last six years, while the women’s team (2013 indoor BIG EAST champions) are competing for their second BIG EAST outdoor title since winning their first in 2007.

2013 BIG EAST OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

May 3-5

Bauer Track & Field Complex

Rutgers University – Piscataway, N.J.

DATE/TIME OF COMPETITION:

Friday, May 3: 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 4: 9 a.m. – 6:25 p.m.

Sunday, May 5: 10 a.m. – 2:40 p.m.

Award Ceremony 3 p.m.

*event times are subject to change

COVERAGE:

Websites: BIGEAST.org (Championship Central) / UND.com

Live stats: BIGEAST.org

Social media: Notre Dame Cross Country/Track & Field (Facebook)

Notre Dame XC/TF – @NDXCTF, @BigEastChamps (Twitter)

Mobile device: A day-by-day team score and standings will be sent out via “IRISH Alerts” to individuals signed up for the service. Fans can sign up by visiting UND.com and clicking on Irish Alert Text Message Service from the Fan Center drop down link on the main page.

Final Results/Recap: Final results and a full recap can be found on UND.com following each day.

FORECAST: Mostly sunny skies are expected through the three-day meet with winds topping 10 mph. Temperatures are expected to stay consistent with a high of 66 degrees and a low of 44 degrees. The chance of rain is currently 10 percent.

2013 BIG EAST INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS: The women’s team collected their third indoor track conference title with 141 points (Feb. 17) at the Spire Institute (Geneva, Ohio). The team score set a new school record for points at the indoor championship, topping 2005’s total of 140 by one point. Notre Dame blew past the field, topping second place Connecticut by 32 points. The top-three finish at the indoor championships was the eighth in program history and the first since 2007. Earning individual championships were Jade Barber (60m Hurdles), Michelle Brown (400m) and Rebecca Tracy (Mile). The 4x400m relay team composed of J. Barber, Michelle Brown, Margaret Bamgbose and Megan Yanik also brought home a title. J. Barber, who earned all-BIG EAST honors in three events, tied Villanova’s Emily Lipari for most outstanding track performer honors. She becomes the first woman in Notre Dame history to earn the honor at the BIG EAST indoor meet.

The men’s team took second with 105.5 points, while first place Connecticut had 142. The finish was the 18th time in 18 years in the league that Notre Dame had finished in the top three. A pair of Irish standouts claimed titles, as Ted Glasnow won the seven-event heptathlon, while junior Patrick Feeney won his third 400m indoor title in a row. Six men’s performers earned all-BIG EAST honors in six events, led by sophomore Chris Giesting’s three scrolls in the 200m, 500m and 4x400m relay. Feeney’s 400m run (46.12) set a new school and meet record. Jade Barber additional set a individual school record in the 60mH crossing the line at 8.23. Brendan Dougherty, Giesting, Jarrod Buchanon and Feeney each contributed to a new school record in the 4×400 with a time of 3:08.28.

2013 ALL-AMERICANS: Notre Dame enters the conference meet with an abundance of national achievement this season, as 10 members of the track and field program were named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) list of All-America honorees this past March. Patrick Feeney (fourth-46.03) and Christ Giesting (eighth-46.99) each were named an All-American for the second time in their career after their efforts in the 400m at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Jade Barber (60mH, 4x400m) and Michelle Brown (DMR, 4X400m) each collected a first and second team citation.

Individually, Barber placed seventh in the 60mH (8.20) and Rebecca Tracy finished eighth in the mile (4:39.38). The women’s distance medley relay team comprised of Kelly Curran, Brown, Danielle Aragon and Alexa Aragon collectively racked up first team All-America honors after placing seventh with a time of 11:01.49. Yanik, Bamgbose, Barber and Brown all contributed to an 11th place finish in the 4x400m relay to nab second team All-America accolades after crossing the line at 3:35.85.

2012-13 BIG EAST MEN’S/WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:

Jeremy Rae – April 23

Rebecca Tracy – April 16

Megan Yanik – March 26

Patrick Feeney – Feb. 5

Chris Giesting Jan. 22, April 2

COACHING STAFF: Under the direction of a vast amount of experienced coaches the Notre Dame track and field program has gathered nine BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year accolades during the outdoor season since 1999. Furthermore, the staff has coached their athletes to eight Outstanding Track/Field Performer (outdoor) citations at the conference meet since 1996.

Joe Piane -Head Coach (38th season)

Alan Turner – Associate Head Coach – Sprints/ Hurdles (3rd season)

Tim Connelly – Assistant Coach – Women’s Distance (25th season)

Adam Beltran – Assistant Coach – Throws (6th season)

Sean Carlson – Assistant Coach – Recruting (1st season)

Jim Garnham – Assistant Coach – Field Events (5th season)

Molly Jergenson – Track and Field Intern (1st season)

2012 BIG EAST OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS: The men’s squad won their eighth BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field title with 153 points, holding off second place South Florida (100 points) at the USF Track and Field Stadium (May 6). The women’s team finished second (99.50 pts.), just 4.5 points out of a tie for first place with Louisville (104 pts.), as they had 10 all-BIG EAST performers in eight events. Picking up victories on the women’s side were Rebecca Tracy (1,500m) and the 4x100m relay team of Kaila Barber, Jade Barber, Michelle Brown and Aijah Urssery. All-together Notre Dame picked up 24 all-BIG EAST honors. Giesting was named the BIG EAST Men’s Most Outstanding Tracker performer. Returnees Jeremy Rae (1,500m, 4x800m), Giesting (400m, 200m), Randall Babb (4x800m), Logan Renwick (triple jump) and Jack Favorite (4x800m) won their events. The men’s total of 153 points is the third most in school history behind 172.5 points in 2004 and 164 in 2000. Notre Dame also won titles in 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2003 and 2000. The women’s total of 99.50 points is the most since 120.5 points in 2007. The Irish also secured second place in 2006, 2005, 2003 and 2002 and won their lone title in 2007.

LAST TIME OUT: The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams achieved two first-place finishes, five second-place finishes and 15 top-five finishes last weekend at the 104th annual Drake Relays (April 25-27) and the 47th annual Hillsdale College Gina Relays (April 26-27). The Irish were led by event winners Dominick Padovano (discus-48.96m) and the women’s 4x800m relay team composed of 4x800m Kelly Curran, Alexa Aragon, Danielle Aragon and Rebecca Tracy (8:33.65). Pending the outcome of the conference meet, the Irish will await their bid into the NCAA East Preliminaries (May 24-26) as they travel next to the Grand Valley Last Chance meet in Des Moines, Iowa (May 10-11) in an effort to support their qualifying times for the NCAA Championship section.

BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP TRAVEL ROSTER (62):

Men (28) Randal Babb, Andrew Brock, Jarrod Buchanon, Kevin Byrne, Michael Clevenger, Brendan Dougherty, Aaron Dunn, Jack Favorite, Patrick Feeney, Eddy Gibbons, Chris Giesting, Ted Glasnow, Martin Grady, Jake Kildoo, Patrick Krach, Pat Lesiweicz, Jeff MacMillan, JP Malette, Keith Mesidor, Dean Odegard, Dominick Padovano, Jeremy Rae, Logan Renwick, David Schipper, Jordan Stumph, Anthony Thomas, DJ Thornton, Bryce Wood

Women (34) Alexa Aragon, Dani Aragon, Margaret Bamgbose, Jade Barber, Michelle Brown, Kelly Burke, Madeline Cassanova, Amanda Chamblee, Mikaila Chamblee, Jessie Christian, Kelly Curran, Vivien Devaney, Emily Frydrych, Gabby Gonzales, Mary Esther Gourdin, Kendra Jennings, Emily Kujawski, Amber Lalla, Lauren Leniart, Karen Lesiewicz, Carly Loeffel, Lena Madison, Sydni Meunier, Meghan Moore, Emily Morris, Ann Polcari, Michelle Rotondo, Meg Ryan, McKinzie Schulz, Nevada Sorenson, Rebecca Tracy, Aijah Urssery, Jaclyn Winkel, Megan Yanik,

USTFCCCA 2013 OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD, WEEK #5 (GREAT LAKES REGION RANKINGS) * as of 4/30/2013

Women: 1/28 teams

Men: 4/23 teams

TFRRS NCAA DIVISION I OUTDOOR QUALIFYING LIST (Top-20)

MEN:

Doughtery, Giesting, Buchanon, Feeney (4x400m-3:05.87) 12th

Jeremy Rae (1,500m-3:41.45) 14th

Martin Grady (10,000m-29:14.21) 16th

Ted Glasnow (Dec.-7,315 points) 19th

Chris Giesting (400m-46.31) 20th

WOMEN:

Michelle Brown (400m-52.62) 11th