RELEASE DATE: 5/6/06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chris Cummings Wins 1500 Meters at PSAC Track and Field Championship – Nicole Dann Second in Women’s 1500 – Rachel Hall Second in Steeplechase with Charity Walker Third in 5000

Complete PSAC Championship Results

CALIFORNIA, PA – Chris Cummings won the 1500 and Nicole Dann was second in the women’s 1500 to help the Mansfield University track and field team to one of its most successful days ever at the final day of the PSAC Track and Field Championship at California (PA) University Saturday afternoon.

Cummings found himself boxed in early and the race and was forced to go out with 300 meters remaining. The junior flew past a pack of six runners running a 39.5 over the final 300 to edge defending 1500 champion Shippensburg’s Richard Hansloven by .34 of a second with a winning time of 3:57.20.

In one of the most inspiring performances at the Championship, the Mountaineers Nicole Dann set a school record with her second place time of 4:43.27. Dann, who also provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship, ran the race despite 23 stitches in her left leg after being spiked during her last meet.

Rachel Hall just missed defending her 3000 steeplechase title finishing second to Edinboro’s Kelly Richards with a time of 11:06.14 and also provisionally qualified for the national championship.

In the final team performance of her incredible career, senior Charity (Learn) Walker earned All-PSAC honors with a third place finish in the 5000 meters (17:48.73 to provisionally qualify for the national championship and came back to finish fourth in the 3000 meters with a time of 10:28.05.

The Mountaineers youthful sprint corps of sophomore Amanda Fedish and freshman Marisa Fronczkiewicz picked up valuable team points with Fedish finishing seventh in both the 100 (12.72) and 200 (26.18) meters. Fronczkiewicz was seventh in the 400 (1:00.08) and eighth in the 200 (26.34).

Both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 women’s relay teams took eighth place.

The women’s team finished 10^th overall out of 14 teams with 39 points, the second most in school history.

The men’s team was 12^th overall with 18 points.

-www.GoMounties.com