RELEASE DATE: 3/06/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD OPENS UP SEASON WITH TEN FIRST PLACE FINISHERS

Salisbury, MD- The 2004 Mansfield men’s outdoor track & field team got their season off to a great start by posting ten first place finishes at the Salisbury University track meet on Saturday.  Overall the men’s team placed 20 athletes in top three finishes in Saturday’s meet.  While the women had nine athletes finish in the top three including three first place finishes. 

Jared Cline led the way for the mountaineers posting first place finishes in the men’s long jump (18’11”) and the triple jump (38’10”).  Sharing in the field events victories was senior Jordann Smith with a third place finish in the long jump (17’ 7”) and freshman James Painter took third place in the triple jump (38’7”).  Jeremy Confer took a first place finish in the javelin (174’6”), while Matt Hope recorded a second place finish in the pole vault (13’ 6”).  Chad Woodruff also captured a victory, winning the high jump (6’ 0”). 

In women’s field events freshman Meg Kerr captured first place and tied the school record in the pole vault (9’6”) while teammate Lynn Leskovec took second place (7’6”). 

On the track the men’s team continued to dominate.  The 4x100 relay team finished with a first place time of 45.7, and junior Josh Wooten collected first place finishes in the 1500 (4:08.2) and the 800 (2:01.5).  Other first place finishers for the mountaineers included Keith Drummond in the 400 (52.7), Jaymes Crain in the 200 (23.3), and Chris Cummings in the 5000 (15.33).  The mountaineers captured second places finishes from James Painter in the 400 (52.7), Jaymes Crain in the 100 (11.1), and Chad Woodruff in the 400 IM hurdles (1:01.0).  Rounding out the track events for the men Chad Woodruff took a third place finish in the 110 high hurdles (15.8), Jordan Smith captured third in the 400 (54.0), Mike Yanick took third in the 400 IM hurdles (1:01.0), and Will Murdoch took third in the 5000 (16:14.1). 

In women’s track events the freshman led the way, with the mountaineers capturing two first place finishes.  Freshman Kristin Weller finished first in the 1500 (5:16.4) while fellow freshman Rachel Hall claimed first place in the 5000 (18:50.8).  Freshman Amber Hamlin recorded two second place finishes, one in the 100 (13.1) and also in the 200 (29.3).  Continuing the trend freshman Nicole Dann took a second place finish in the 400 (1:06.1).  Not to be outdone freshman Meg Kerr recorded a third place finish in the 200 (30.3), and freshman Kristin Weller captured third place in the 800 (2:38.8). 

Overall the mountaineers did exceptionally well to open up the season and will be back in action on the 10^th of March when they take part in the Florida National Tri-athlon Training Center Twilight Meet.