Dec. 1, 2006
The Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams kicked off the indoor season with the Blue and Gold Invitational on Friday, Dec. 1, in the Loftus Sports Complex. The evening meet was highlighted by 42 BIG EAST-qualifying performances by Irish individuals, including an NCAA provisionally-qualifying mark for sophomore Patrick Smyth in the 5,000 meters.
On the women’s side, senior sprinter Maryann Erigha, junior sprinter Brienne Davis, junior distance runner Sunni Olding and senior jumper Cassie Gullickson led the Irish squad with two BIG EAST qualifications each. Erigha and Davis earned their league nods in the 60 meters and 200 meters, while Olding completed the feat in the mile and 3,000 meters and Gullickson won the high and triple jumps.
Other women’s BIG EAST Championship qualifiers were senior Okechi Ogbuokiri and freshman Joanna Schultz in the 400 meters, juniors Crysta Swayzer and Katie Jannazo in the 500 meters, junior Julie Opet and freshman Lindsey Ferguson in the mile, junior Jackie Carter in the 1,000 meters, senior Amy Kohlmeier and sophomore Heidi Rocha in the 3,000 meters, junior Domenique Manning in the 60-meter hurdles, sophomores Kate Mattoon and Mary Saxer in the pole vault, and sophomore Anna Weber and freshman Jaclyn Espinoza in the shot put.
The Irish men had a very strong showing in the meet, headlined by Smyth’s valiant second-place finish and NCAA provisionally-qualifing time in the 5,000 meters. Smyth ran the first half of the race behind Oregon’s Galen Rupp and Nike’s Julius Achon and Bret Schoolmeester before working his way up to second, just a few seconds behind the winner, Rupp. Smyth’s time of 14:00.73 is the sixth-fastest indoor effort in Notre Dame history and a personal best by nearly 13 seconds.
Senior multi-event athlete Christopher Jacques and freshman Eric Quick were the two Irish men with multiple BIG EAST qualifications, posting a 1-2 finish in the long jump competition. Jacques earned his other league mark in the high jump, while Quick was quick to establish himself as the team’s top threat in the triple jump, winning the event with a leap of 13.87m (45-6.25).
One other performance of note on the men’s side was senior Thomas Chamney’s run in the 1,000 meters. Chamney won the event in a time of 2:23.74, good for fourth in school history and a berth in the BIG EAST league meet.
The rest of the men’s BIG EAST qualifiers are as follows: freshman Jeff Farnell in the 200 meters, seniors Ryan Postel and Jordan Powell and junior Bob Kueny in the 400 meters, junior Austin Wechter and sophomore Billy Buzaid in the 500 meters, junior John Cavanaugh in the mile, freshmen Blake Choplin and Jim Notwell in the 1,000 meters, junior Jose Genao in the 60-meter hurdles, senior Dave Viken in the pole vault, junior Mike Schubert in the shot put, and senior Garet Koxlien and junior Kyle Annen in the weight throw.
The Notre Dame men’s and women’s track and field teams will return to competition on January 13, 2007, at the Purdue Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.