April 3, 2003
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The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams are ready to play host to their lone home meet of the season this weekend, the traditional Spring Opener in Moose Krause Stadium on the Monogram Track. Central Michigan and Western Michigan will join Notre Dame in competition on Friday, which begins at 10 a.m. (final running events begin at 11:15 a.m.). Admission to all Notre Dame home track and field events is, as always, free of charge.
Irish outdoor season just in the infancy stage:
The 2003 outdoor season is just three weeks old and the entire Notre Dame roster has yet to see significant action. Last weekend, the team split in three directions, sending its top women’s sprinters to the Florida Relays, the distance runners to the Stanford Invitational and the rest of the roster to the Western Michigan Open. Frigid temperatures and high winds kept many of the competitors out of action at the Western Michigan Open last weekend, but the throws group was able to put up some impressive results. The specialty groups also competed well in Florida and California.
Weekend recap:
With the new regional meet format leading the way to the NCAA Championship, the national outdoor track and field season has taken on a new look. No longer will athletes need to reach automatic qualifying standards to make it to the NCAA Championship. Instead, a regional meet, which will be held May 30 and 31 in Columbus, Ohio, will determine the athletes for the National Championship. The top five from the regional meets (along with an assorted number of at-large individuals) will make it to the NCAA Championship in Sacramento, Calif.
With that in mind, a number of Irish athletes have already made the cut for the NCAA regional meet – many of which occurred last weekend. Perhaps the top effort of the weekend was turned in by junior throw specialist Juan Alba. Alba competed very well at the Western Michigan Open, qualifying for the NCAA regional meet in the hammer throw (50.00m) and discus (50.77m). Those two marks also qualify for the BIG EAST outdoor championship on May 2-4.
Sophomore Chris Staron also qualified for the NCAA regional meet, matching classmate Ryan Mineburg’s 2.07m clearance in the high jump from the Baldy Castillo meet.
Out at Stanford, the Irish distance runners ran well in the 1,500 meters. Sophomore Lauren King and freshman Molly Huddle, two of the top athletes in the nation, ran together to finish in 4:20.32 and 4:20.50, respectively. King and Huddle should be among the top threats at the regional meet in the 1,500 meters.
Junior Kevin Somok also qualified for the regional meet in the 1,500 meters (3:48.48), as did sophomore Eric Morrsion with an impressive 3:44.16.
The women’s sprint group, coming off a great outdoor season a year ago, ran well at the Florida Relays as well. Their blistering 44.73 4×100-meter time, ran by Tameisha King, Kristen Dodd, Tiffany Gunn and Kymia Love at the Baldy Castillo two weeks ago, still stands as the team’s best time and regional qualifying effort this year.
Regional qualifying update:
In addition to last weekend’s regional qualifiers, a number of additional Irish athletes have earned a spot in the NCAA meet – Selim Nurudeen (110-meter hurdles, 14.31), Kymia Love (400 meters, 53.85), Kristen Dodd (400 meters, 54.18), Tiffany Gunn (400 meters, 54.92 and 400-meter hurdles, 1:01.13), Stacey Cowan (high jump, 1.75m) and Jaime Volkmer (pole vault, 3.90m).
Upcoming schedule:
Most of the team will make the trip next weekend to the Tom Botts Invitational at the University of Missouri. The Irish have attended the meet for the last three seasons. The Mt. SAC Relays begin on April 17, followed by the Drake Relays on April 24. The Purdue Invitational is set for April 25 & 26, while the BIG EAST Championship will be May 2-4.
2003 Spring Opener
Order of Events
April 5, 2003
10:00 a.m. Javelin M-W follow
10:00 a.m. Shot Put M-W follow
10:00 a.m. Long Jump W-M follow
Triple Jump W-M follow
12:00 p.m. Hammer W
12:00 p.m. Hammer M
Discus W-follows Hammer
Discus M-follows Hammer
11:00 a.m. Pole Vault W-M follow
11:00 a.m. High Jump M-W follow
11:15 a.m. Steeplechase W
11:45 a.m. Steeplechase M
12:00 p.m. 4×100 relay W
12:05 p.m. 4×100 relay M
12:10 p.m. 1,500 meters W
12:15 p.m. 1,500 meters M
12:25 p.m. 100-meter hurdles W
12:30 p.m. 100-meter hurdles M
12:40 p.m. 400 meters W
12:45 p.m. 400 meters M
12:55 p.m. 100 meters W
1:00 p.m. 100 meters M
1:10 p.m. 800 meters W
1:15 p.m. 800 meters M
1:25 p.m. 400-meter hurdles W
1:30 p.m. 400-meter hurdles M
1:40 p.m. 200 meters W
1:45 p.m. 200 meters M
1:55 p.m. 3,000 meters W
2:10 p.m. 5,000 meters M
2:25 p.m. 4×400 relay W
2:30 p.m. 4×400 relay M