RELEASE DATE: 6/22/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY’S ADAM STAIER WINS NATIONAL RACE WALK CHAMPIONSHIP AT USATF CHAMPIONSHIPS – FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPION IN MU TRACK AND FIELD HISTORY

  MANSFIELD – Mansfield University freshman standout Adam Staier (Farmington,ME/Mt. Blue) became the first national champion in Mountaineer track and field history when he won the 10,000 meter race walk Junior National title at the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field National Championship Meet at Stanford University on Sunday.

  “This is the big time,” said Mansfield University head coach Mike Rohl. “This is the national championship and Adam crushed the competition. He’s been preparing himself for this race all season and it paid off for him with his best effort in the biggest race of his life.”

  S taier literally walked away from the competition with a school record time of 45:43.86 – more than four minutes faster than the nearest competitor.

  The Junior National title is for athletes 20 years old and younger. By winning the national championship, Staier earned the right to represent the USA at the Junior Pan American Games in Barbados from July 18-20.

  Mansfield University assistant coach Michelle Rohl regained her national title by winning the Women’s 20,000-meter Race Walk Championship with a time of 1:34:31.06. Rohl, who had won the national championship in the 20,000 meter race walk in 1999, 2000 and 2001, outlasted Joanne Dow of Adidas who finished second at 1:34:57.79. Rohl has represented the USA in three Olympics in the women’s race walk and with her victory qualified for the Pan American Games and World Championship.

  Freshman Lauren Olivieri (Hauppauge,NY/Hauppauge) finished seventh in the Women’s Junior 10,000 meter race walk with a time of 59:11.86 while freshman Richard Correll (Mansfield/Mansfield) was in sixth place in the Men’s Junior 10,000 meter race walk before being disqualified for improper form.

  Staier will attempt to win the Junior National 5,000 Race walk title when the National 5,000 meter Championship will be held at Mansfield University on July 12.

-MU-