Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Track And Field Ready To Host Another Great Meyo Invitational

Feb. 6, 2003

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Irish ready to run against top competition at the Meyo Invitational:

The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams will host the 2003 Meyo Invitational in Loftus Sports Center on Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8. A number of top teams from across the nation will be in attendance at the meet, including Arkansas (women only), Maryland (women only), Clemson (women only), Tulane (women only), Georgetown (men only), Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Windsor and Michigan State.

Notre Dame men and women look strong in preparation for the BIG EAST indoor meet:

The Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams have looked strong across the board this season and will contend for team honors at the BIG EAST Championship in Syracuse, NY, on Feb. 22 & 23.

The men’s team has been highlighted by a deep distance group and the short sprint ability of sophomore Selim Nurudeen.

Nurudeen is among the conference leaders in both the 60 meters and 60-meter hurdles (updated top times list was not available at the time of this release). He boasts top times of 6.91 in the 60 meters and 7.99 in the 60-meter hurdles. Nurudeen broke through for a BIG EAST title in the 110-meter hurdles at the outdoor meet last season and should contend for individual honors in the 60-meter hurdles this year.

The men’s distance group has shown both depth and flexibility as a number of top runners have put up solid times in different distances. Luke Watson grabbed headlines last weekend after making the trip to Boston for the adidas games and coming away with an NCAA qualification time in the 3,000 meters. Watson’s 7:55.78 time is ranked fourth in the latest NCAA descending order list. An All-American after finishing third in the 3,000 meters at the NCAA indoor meet a year ago, Watson will be joined in the 3,000 field at the BIG EAST meet by teammates Eric Morrison, Tim Moore, John Keane and Marc Striowski.

Watson has also qualified for the BIG EAST 5,000 meters and is looking for a qualification in the mile run at the Meyo Invitational.

Morrison’s name appears three times on the BIG EAST qualification list, running 1:52.07 in the 800 meters, 4:08.98 in the mile and 8:25.40 in the 3,000 meters. Junior Kevin Somok has done well in the middle distance lane this year, posting 2:27.84 in the 1,000 meters and 1:53.88 in the 800 meters.

Other top performers for the Irish men this season:

Trevor McClain Duer – 48.51 in 400 meters, 1:04.61 in 500 meters

Godwin Mbagwu – 14.79m in triple jump, 6.98m in the long jump

Ryan Hurd – 21.85 in the 200 meters

Brian Thornburg – 16.65m in the weight throw

The women’s team has been dominating during its last two dual meets, led by several multi-event athletes. Seniors Tameisha King and Jaime Volkmer have garnered most of the attention. Volkmer has bettered two of her own school records this season in the triple jump and pole vault. Against Michigan State last weekend, Volkmer hit an NCAA indoor provisional mark in the pole vault by clearing 3.90m (12-9 1/2). She is currently 20th on the NCAA descending order list.

King has been all over the track and field for Notre Dame, posting team top times in the 60 meters, 60-meter hurdles and long jump. King’s 6.31m long jump mark is currently tied for second in the nation and puts the Mableton, Ga., native on track for her third career long jump All-America honor. Her 7.51 60-meter time leads the BIG EAST Conference this season and her 60-meter hurdle time (8.56) was third in the latest release on the BIG EAST website (1-29-03).

While Tameisha King and Volkmer have received the attention, Notre Dame’s sprint group is among the deepest in the conference. Kristen Dodd has qualified for the conference meet in the 60, 200 and 400 meters. Kymia Love has qualified in the 200 and 400 meters. The Irish will use the Meyo Invitational to put together a top 4×400 relay time as well.

The women’s distance group is just beginning to hit their stride and should put up some impressive times this weekend. Concentrating on the middle distance events so far during the indoor season, 13 runners have qualified for the BIG EAST meet in the 800 meters, 1,000 meters and the mile run. Lauren King boasts the team’s top times in the 800 meters (2:14.16) and mile (4:49.84) while freshman Molly Huddle’s 3,000-meter time (9:31.53) is 16th in the nation.

Meyo Mile might be the highlight of the meet:

The Meyo Invitational is an annual event at the University of Notre Dame and for many years the Meyo Mile has served as the signature race in the meet schedule. This season, senior All-American Luke Watson will compete against a top field looking to break the sub-four minute mile barrier. In Notre Dame track and field history, only one athlete has reached that coveted goal when Chuck Aragon ran a 3:59.9 mile in 1981.

Watson has shown the ability to run a sub-four minute mile. At the Minnesota Distance Classic last summer, he set the school outdoor record by finishing in 4:00.68.

Most track and field coaches will tell you that to reach the sub-four minute mile goal you need a great field of runners to keep up the pace. This year’s Meyo Mile should fit that requirement. Michigan’s Nick Willis (4:04.59), an NCAA provisional qualifier, will be in the race along with a number of other top milers.

Meyo Mile winner’s circle: Here is a list of the last 11 Meyo Mile winners and, as you can see, the University of Michigan has done well in the race.

2002: Steve Sherer, Michigan State, 4:03.26

2001: Chris Miltenberg, Georgetown, 4:02.22

2000: Jay Cantin, Michigan, 3:59.90

1999: Tim Broe, Alabama, 3:59.38

1998: Kevin Sullivan, Michigan, 3:56.08

1997: Don McLaughlin, Michigan, 4:04.90

1996: Kevin Sullivan, Michigan, 4:02.68

1995: Kevin Sullivan, Michigan, 3:55.90

1994: Kevin Sullivan, Michigan, 3:58.00

1993: Jon Warren, Nike Texas, 4:00.58

1992: Lenny Sitko, Unattached, 4:00.58

A quick look at the Meyo Invitational field:

A number of talented athletes will be competing this weekend in one of the best indoor meets in the Midwest this season.

Michigan will bring in a talented distance medley relay team fresh off an NCAA qualification time at the adidas Boston Games. Michigan’s DarNell Talbert will compete against Notre Dame’s Selim Nurudeen in the 60-meter hurdles while two-sport standout Braylon Edwards will appear in the 60 meters.

The Michigan women bring in triple jump specialist Teyonna Simpson (41-5 1/2 last weekend at Eastern Michigan) along with NCAA provisional qualifier shot put specialist April Phillips. The Michigan women’s distance group features Rachel Sturtz in the 800 meters and Lindsey Gallo in the 3,000 meters.

The Arkansas women bring with them NCAA mile qualifier Christin Wurth (who also won the SEC cross country individual title). Two-time All-American Londa Bevins also will appear in the mile run. Angel Heath will give Notre Dame’s Tameisha King a run for the money at the long jump pit. The NCAA runner-up in the long jump a year ago, Heath and King are both two-time All-Americans.

Arkansas is also looking forward to the distance medley relay on Notre Dame’s traditionally fast Meyo Track. The Arkansas team will be looking for an NCAA automatic qualifying time and a school record.

Central Michigan will bring in sophomore Johnie Drake. Drake broke the 15-year old Chippewa 60-meter record this season and is only .03 away from an NCAA qualification time.

Clemson will send senior Shannon Murray, an ACC champion and All-American in the outdoor 4×100 relay last year. Joana Costa will compete against Notre Dame’s Jaime Volkmer in the pole vault, as Costa is a former ACC Champion in the event and qualified for the 2002 NCAA Championship. Clemson will also have Mary Gosselin in the weight throw, Katie Pickett in the high jump and Silja Ulfarsdottir in the 400 meters.

Meyo InvitationalTentative Order of Events
Friday6:00 p.m. Weight Throw W - M follow6:00 p.m. Pole Vault Women6:00 p.m. Long Jump M - W follow7:00 p.m. 5,000 meters Women7:30 p.m. 5,000 meters Men8:00 p.m. DMR Women8:15 p.m. DMR Men
Saturday10:30 a.m. Triple Jump W - M follow11:00 a.m. Shot Put M - W follow12:00 p.m. Pole Vault Men12:00 p.m. High Jump W - M follow12:00 p.m. 60m H trials Women12:15 p.m. 60m H trials Men12:35 p.m. 60m trials Women12:50 p.m. 60m trials Men1:05 p.m. 3,000 meters Women1:20 p.m. 3,000 meters Men1:35 p.m. 60m H finals Women1:40 p.m. 60m H finals Men1:50 p.m. 60m finals Women1:55 p.m. 60m finals Men2:05 p.m. Meyo Mile Men2:15 p.m. Mile Women2:25 p.m. Mile Men2:40 p.m. 400 meters Women2:50 p.m. 400 meters Men3:10 p.m. 800 meters Women3:20 p.m. 800 meters Men3:35 p.m. 500 meters Women3:40 p.m. 500 meters Men3:50 p.m. 200 meters Women4:15 p.m. 200 meters Men4:45 p.m. 1,000 meters Women4:50 p.m. 1,000 meters Men4:55 p.m. 4x440 yd relay Women5:00 p.m. 4x440 yd relay Men

* there will be an attempt to run consolation finals in both the 60 meters and 60-meter hurdles prior to the actual final race.

MEYO RESULTS: Each day, complete results will be posted on www.und.com as soon as possible. Media outlets requesting an HTML copy of the events should send an e-mail to: Wasielewski.3@nd.edu.

LOFTUS SPORTS CENTER: Is located on the east side of Notre Dame’s campus, behind the Joyce Center. Admission to all Notre Dame track and field events is free.