RELEASE DATE: 2/20/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield Track Impressive in Preparation for PSAC Championships -- Cummings Shatters Mile Record

Men -

This past weekend, Mansfield University junior Chris Cummings shattered his own school record in the mile as he won the event in a primarily division I race at Kent State University in Ohio. Cummings covered the distance in 4:08.45 besting his old mark of 4:12.02 which he set at this same meet last indoor season. Not only is his time the fastest mark in the PSAC this season, it is an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. As it stands right now, Chris ranks ninth in the nation among NCAA Division II milers, making the odds of a birth in the national championships very high. The NCAA Division II National Championships take place in Boston, Massachusetts March 9-12.

Chris wasn't finished after his record shattering run in the mile. He returned later in the afternoon to run the 3000 meter event. Still tired from an exhausting performance earlier, Cummings managed to break another one of his own school records. He finished the race in 8:35.91 bettering his previous best of 8:42.97.

Cummings has qualified for the PSAC Championships this upcoming weekend at East Stroudsburg in the 5000 and 3000 meter events as well as the mile. He ranks second in the conference in the 5000, third in 3000 and first in the mile.

Cummings was not the sole Mansfield athlete to achieve personal best marks this weekend. Junior Bryan Morseman ran a personal best by over 20 seconds in the 3000 besting the previous school record as well. Morseman finished the 3000 in 8:40.86. Bryan has qualified for the PSAC Championships in the 5000, 3000, and mile events. He ranks seventh in both the 5k and 3k and ranks 19th in the mile.

Rounding out the men's conference championship roster is senior captain Jon Holtz who also ran a personal best this weekend at Kent State. Holtz, who was seeded 37th out of 66 men in the 800 meters, finished second in his heat and 18th overall in the primarily division I meet. Holtz finished the half mile race in 1:59.07 improving on his previous indoor best. Holtz will look for a podium position in the highly competitive 800 meter race at the PSAC Championships. Only three seconds separate the second seed from Holtz who is the 18th seed.

Women-

The Women will send perhaps their strongest roster in recent years to the championships as they have qualified nine individual athletes for the meet.

This weekend at Kent State, Jess Lown improved her time in the 55 high hurdles to 8.99 seconds. Lown finished third in her heat. She returned later in the day to win her heat of the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 47.89, good enough for fourth overall. She is qualified for the PSAC Championships in the 55 meter hurdles in which she currently ranks 13th.

Mansfield shined in the 400 meter race as Amber Hamlin, and Marisa Fronczkiewicz won their heats while Kandis Worthington finished fourth in her heat. All three of these women have qualified for the PSAC Championships at this distance.

Hamlin, who narrowly missed a qualifying mark earlier in the season, left nothing to chance this week as she secured her spot in the PSAC Championships. Amber ranks 18th in the 400 with a time of 1:02.04.

Fronczkiewicz, who had already qualified for the PSAC meet earlier this season, improved on her qualifying time bumping her up to the 11th seed with a time of 1:01.03. Marisa has also qualified in the 200 meter event after a strong performance this weekend finishing second in her heat with a time of 26.98 seconds. She ranks 27th in the PSAC.

Worthington qualified this weekend for the 400 meter race with her time of 1:01.61. She currently ranks 17th in the PSAC with that performance. Kandis also qualified in the 200 meter race later in the day as she won her heat in a time of 26.36. She ranks 13th in the PSAC in the 200 going into this weekends championships.

Katrina Brumfield and Christina Gray tied for fifth in the high jump this weekend at Kent. They both cleared 5'01" in the event. Brumfield who has cleared 5'3" already this season ranks sixth in the PSAC going into the championships. She finished second at the outdoor championships last may. Brumfield has also qualified in the 200 meter race with a time of 26.87, good enough for the 11th seed in the PSAC.

 Gray, a freshman, has also qualified for the PSAC meet this season. She ranks 16th with her qualifying height of 5'01"

In the distance events, Mansfield was plagued by injuries and illness this season after an impressive fall cross country season, but will still send two individuals to the PSAC Championship.

Senior standout Charity Walker missed much of the season with injuries, but still managed to qualify for her best two events. Walker competed at Cornell University this weekend where she won the 3000 with a time of 10:33.29. She has qualified sixth for the PSAC Championships in the 3000 meter event and she has also qualified sixth in the 5000 meter event.

Junior Nicole Dann has been one of the most impressive breakthrough performers of the year. Dann, who missed this past weekend due to an illness, has already qualified for the PSAC Championships in two events. Her best event, the 800 meters, sees her sitting ninth in the PSAC going into the championships with a time of 2:24.36. She has also qualified for the mile event, running an impressive personal best of 5:23.37, qualifying her 16th in the PSAC.

The women's team will also send a talented 4x400 meter relay team. Brumfield, Worthington, Fronczkiewicz, and Hamlin will look for a podium position in the final event of the two day PSAC Championships.

Sophomore Amanda Fedish qualified for the sprint events, early in the year, but suffered an injury that ended her indoor track season back in January.

The Mountaineer track teams will compete in the PSAC Championship meet this weekend at East Stroudsburg University. Check back for results Sunday evening after the conclusion of the meet.