Feb. 2, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – – The 10th annual Meyo Invitational takes place this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4-5, at the Meyo Track and Field in the Loftus Sports Complex. Both Notre Dame teams are looking to bounce back from losses at a dual meet with Indiana University last weekend. The men lost 89-73, while the women fell by a score of 99-62. The Meyo Invitational starts at 6:00 p.m. Friday and continues at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
INDIANA DUAL MEET RECAP: The men and women’s team both suffered losses to the Hoosiers last weekend. The men were without the services of All-Americans Marshaun West (Sikeston, Mo.) and Ryan Shay (Central Lake, Mich.), who were sidelined with injuries. West and Shay’s teammates did step up with some impressive performances to keep the meet close.
Chris Cochran (Crystal Lake, Ill.) just missed winning two events for the second consecutive meet. After getting edged by IU’s Russell Brooks in the 60 meters, Cochran avenged the loss to Brooks in the 200 in a time of 21.53. Cochran now holds the fastest time for the Irish this year in the 200 and the 60. Terry Wray (Brandon, Miss.) won the men’s 400 meters in a time of 49.44, while senior Phil Mishka (Toledo, Ohio), who was coming off a win in the 800 at the quad Meet, captured first in the 600 in 1:18.81.
Luke Watson (Stillwater, Minn.) continued his impressive sophomore campaign with a win the mile run (4:11.76) after posting a provisional time in the 3,000 meters at the quad meet. The Irish 4×400 team won their second race in a row in a time of 3:20.10. Matt Thompson (Granite Bay, Calif.) tied his own school record he set at the BIG EAST indoor meet last season in the 35-pound weight throw with a first place toss of 58-3 1/4.
On the women’s side, there also were some impressive individual performances. All-American Jennifer Engelhardt (Battle Creek, Mich.) won her second high jump competition in a row by clearing 5-7 3/4. Sophomore Liz Grow (New Braunfels, Texas), coming off wins in the 60 and 200 in the Quad meet, won the 400 meters (55.49) and finished second in the 200. Grow now has the fastest times for the Irish in the 60, 200 and 400 meters this season.
Junior Leanne Brady (Trumbull, Conn.) improved from her fifth-place finish in the 800 a year ago against Indiana, finishing just ahead of IU’s Courtney Bell with a career-best time in the 800 (2:15.20). Freshman and cross country standout Jennifer Handley (Barrie, Ont.) also ran to her first individual victory in the mile run (5:03.28). This was just the second indoor event Handley has run at Notre Dame after being one of the top three cross country runners for the Irish in the fall.
MEYO INVITATIONAL PREVIEW: The 10th annual Meyo Invitational features some of the top talent in the country. For Notre Dame, both Marshaun West, who won the 200 at the Meyo Invite last season, and Ryan Shay will not compete due to injuries. Phil Mishka (1,000 meters) and Matt Thompson (shot put) look to defend their 1999 Meyo Invite titles for the Irish. The men also will run the Meyo Mile, a traditional mile race that includes some of the country’s top mile runners. Irish senior Antonio Arce (Palmdale, Calif.) finished second in the Meyo Mile last year in 4:05.87.
Jennifer Engelhardt and sophomore Natalie Hallett (Huntington Beach, Calif.) hope to defend their Meyo Invite titles in the high jump and pole vault. Senior All-American Alison Klemmer (Troy, Mich.) who ran her first race of 2000 last weekend, is a favorite at 3,000 meters.
Teams participating include: Michigan (M&W), Missouri (M&W), Notre Dame (M&W), Tulane (M&W), Wake Forest (M&W), Iowa (W), Alabama (M), Miami, Fla. (M) and Rice (M).
IRISH IN THE BIG EAST: A number of Irish athletes are ranked highly in the most recent BIG EAST conference indoor track and field best times and marks list (February 2). Chris Cochran has the best 200-meter time in the BIG EAST with his 21.26 performance at the quad meet, January 21. Cochran also has the second best 60 meters time (6.78). Marshaun West is the long jump leader in the BIG EAST with a 25-4 1/2 leap at the quad meet. Jennifer Engelhardt is ranked second in the high jump after clearing 5-10 at the quad meet, while two other Irish athletes are ranked second in two specialties, including Phil Mishka in the 800 meters (1:49.62) and Liz Grow in the 400 meters (55.49).
2000 Indoor Best Times
Women’s 20 lb. Weight Throw
Dore DeBartolo 52-8
Men’s 35 lb. Weight Throw
Matt Thompson 58-3 1/4
Women’s Shot Put
Dore DeBartolo 43-9 3/4
Men’s Shot Put
Derek Dyer 50-10 1/4
Women’s Pole Vault
Jamie Volkmer 11-0
Men’s Pole Vault
Josh Heck 15-6
Women’s High Jump
Jennifer Engelhardt 5-10
Men’s High Jump
Nick Setta 6-8
Women’s Long Jump
Tameisha King 19-5
Men’s Long Jump
Marshaun West 25-4 1/2
Women’s Triple Jump
Jaime Volkmer 39-3 1/2
Men’s Triple Jump
Quill Redwine 47-8
Women’s 60 Meters
Liz Grow 7.74
Men’s 60 Meters
Chris Cochran 6.78
Women’s 60 Meter Hurdles
Tameisha King 8.80
Men’s 60 Meter Hurdles
Bill Taylor 8.84
Women’s 200 Meters
Liz Grow 24.74
Men’s 200 Meters
Chris Cochran 21.26
Women’s 400 Meters
Liz Grow 55.49
Men’s 400 Meters
Terry Wray 48.86
Women’s 600 Meters
Anna Morales 1:35.58
Men’s 600 Meters
Phil Mishka 1:18.81
Women’s 800 Meters
Leanne Brady 2:14.69
Men’s 800 Meters
Phil Mishka 1:49.68
Women’s 400 Meters
Amanda Alvarez 57.27
Women’s Mile
Jennifer Handley 5:03.28
Men’s Mile
Luke Watson 4:11.76
Women’s 3,000 Meters
Patty Rice 10:06.31
Men’s 3,000 Meters
Luke Watson 8:09.50