Patrick Smyth holds one of the nation's top 10,000 meter times.

Irish Track and Field Sends 22 Student-Athletes to NCAA Regional

May 28, 2009

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Irish track and field teams are set to compete this weekend at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships at the Cardinal Park Track Complex on the campus of the University of Louisville.

Notre Dame will send 22 student-athletes to the regional contest with hopes of qualifying for the national meet.

Competition begins Friday with the men’s javelin at 11:00 a.m., followed by the track events at 1:30 p.m. The women’s javelin gets underway Saturday at 11:00 a.m. with the women’s 4×100-meter relay beginning the track events at 4:00 p.m.

Several Irish student-athletes currently hold some of the top marks in the nation. Patrick Smyth’s 10,000-meter time of 28:25.85 ranks fifth, while Mary Saxer is sixth with a pole vault mark of 4.30m (14-1 1/4). Matt Schipper is 12th in the pole vault with a height of 5.30m (17-4 1/2), Joanna Schultz carded a 400-meter time of 53.12 to rank 16th and Jaclyn Espinoza is 19th with a discus throw of 52.10m (170-11).

Live results for the regional meet can be found at www.uoflsports.com. Complete results will be available at www.und.com following each day of competition.

NCAA Regional Qualifiers

Men’s 800m
Blake Choplin – 1:49.25

Jack Howard – 1:50.03

Men’s 1500m
Daniel Clark – 3:45.11

Jordan Carlson – 3:47.37

Men’s 5000m
Patrick Smyth – 13:39.50

Men’s 10,000m
Patrick Smyth – 28:25.85

Men’s 400m Hurdles
Balazs Molnar – 51.37

Men’s Pole Vault
Matt Schipper – 5.35m (17-6 1/2)

Kevin Schipper – 5.27m (17-3 1/2)

Men’s Long Jump
Eric Quick – 7.45m (24-5 1/2)

Men’s Triple Jump
Eric Quick – 15.09m (49-6 1/4)

Men’s Shot Put
John Belcher – 17.71m (58-1 1/4)

Denes Veres – 17.53m (57-6 1/4)

Men’s Hammer Throw
Jeff Mensch – 58.79m (192-10)

Men’s Decathlon
Justin Schneider – 6,973 points

Women’s 400m
Joanna Schultz – 53.12

Women’s 800m
Kelly Langhans – 2:08.24

Women’s 400m Hurdles
Joanna Schultz – 59.70

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase
Lindsey Ferguson – 10:15.23

Women’s Pole Vault
Mary Saxer – 4.30m (14-1 1/4)

Women’s Shot Put
Anna Weber – 14.82m (48-7 1/2)

Jaclyn Espinoza – 14.42m (47-3 3/4)

Women’s Discus
Jaclyn Espinoza – 52.10m (170-11)

Anna Weber – 49.16m (161-3)

Women’s Hammer Throw
Anna Weber – 59.03 (193-8)

Women’s Javelin
Elise Knutzen – 44.93m (147-5)

–ND–