RELEASE DATE: 5/13/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LOCK HAVEN WOMEN HOLDS ½ POINT LEAD OVER SLIPPERY ROCK AND ONE POINT OVER IUP – SLIPPERY ROCK HOLDS SOLID LEAD ON MEN’S SIDE AFTER DAY TWO OF PSAC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP

MANSFIELD – A day that started out with record cold temperatures turned into a perfect day for track and field with stadium and meet records falling all day long during the second day of competition at the 2005 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Track and Field Championship on the Robert T. Maxson Track at Mansfield University Friday.

In the  team scoring, Lock Haven (33 points) holds the slimmest of margins in the women’s competition, leading Slippery Rock (32.5) and IUP (32) by a point after the first six events. Shippensburg is in fourth place (24) followed by Kutztown (21.5), West Chester (13), East Stroudsburg (10) and Mansfield (8).

Slippery Rock (32 points) has forged a solid lead in the first four events over Shippensburg (19), IUP (16) and East Stroudsburg (15). Kutztown is in fifth (12), followed by Edinboro (10), Lock Haven (8), Lock Haven (8), Bloomsburg (6), Millersville (5) and Cheyney (1).

Men’s 10,000 Final

Shippensburg’s Daniel Helfrick became the first 2005 PSAC Track & Field champion when he broke out a tight pack in the men’s 10,000. Helfrick, who finished fourth in last year’s event, broke the Maxson track record with a winning time of 30:49.29. The top three runners all bettered the NCAA provisionally qualifying time. IUP’s Jorge Medina was second with a time of 31:00.67 followed by Justin Shepherd of Bloomsburg at 31:06.02. Lock Haven’s Aaron Benson was fourth with  A.J. Kelly of IUP and Neal Kerrigan of Millersville finishing fifth and sixth respectively.

Women’s 10,000 Final

East Stroudsburg’s Vanessa Andes literally ran away from the field in defending her 2004 10,000 meter crown. Andes finished with a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 37:00.85, well ahead of the rest of the field. Holly Whoolery of Slippery Rock was second at 37:53.54 with Stephani Williams of Kutztown finishing third (38:16.56). Sarah Robertson and Holy Bofinger of Lock Haven were fourth and fifth respectively Shippensburg’s Lindsey Govern was sixth.

Women’s Pole Vault

Lock Haven’s Angela Kramer broke the PSAC Championship Meet record with a vault of 11-09.00 to easily outdistance the competition. Jessica Moyer of IUP was second at 11-03.00, edging out Slippery Rock’s Abby McKissick for third on jumps. Jen Butler of West Chester and Stacey Wilcher of Shippensburg tied for fourth at 10-09 edging out Stephanie Sukal of Kutztown on jumps.

Women’s High Jump

Shippensburg’s Monica Speca took top honors after the top three jumpers all finished at 5-04. Speca won over Mansfield freshman Katrina Brumfield who finished second and IUP’s Becky Bullard at third on jumps. Brumfield’s performance was the highest field finish for a Mansfield women in school history. Four more jumpers finished at 5-02. Lock Haven’s Sara McCleary was fourth and Lahnor Ridley of IUP fifth while Louise O’Rourke of Slippery Rock and Kutztown’s Candice Bullard tied on jumps for sixth.

Women’s Long Jump

Shippensburg’s Tunisia Lacy successfully defended her PSAC title in the long jump with a stadium record leap of 18-02.75, edging second place finisher Lahnor Ridley of IUP by 1.25 inches. Kristen Jones of Slippery Rock, who finished second last year, was third with a jump of 17-10.00. Millersville’s Alexis Martin also finished with a jump of 17-10.00 but was fourth on a jumps. Lock Haven’s Nicole Kulp and Bri Palazzi finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Men’s Discus

Edinboro’s Ed Brown defended his PSAC crown in the discus with a toss of almost 21 feet more than the next competitor. Brown’s throw of 168-08 shattered the stadium record of 156-08 and was a NCAA provisional qualifier. Mark Anderson of Shippensburg was second at 147-11 followed by Kutztown’s James Dart (146-04). Jeremy Burger of East Stroudsburg finished fourth followed by Andrew Cohen of Slippery Rock and Shippensburg’s Adam Escamilla.

Women’s Shot Put

West Chester’s Nicole James defended her shot put crown with a heave of 48-09.50 to top Heath Kozuchowsky of Slippery Rock (44-09.25). Shelly Levy of Lock Haven was third at 44-05.75 with Kutztown’s Kaleena Lockhard fourth at 44-00.00. The top four finishers all provisionally qualified for the NCAA’s. Lock Haven’s Ginger Williams and Jennifer Andrews finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Men’s Long Jump

East Stroudsburg’s Andy Richard took top honors in the long jump with a leap of 22-11.00. He finished sixth in last year’s event. Preston Gibbs of Slippery Rock was second at 22-04.75 besting IUP’s Jermaine Clayton on jumps. Seth Little of Slippery Rock was fourth with Millersville’s Brina Good fifth and Jamie Gates of Cheyney sixth.

Decathlon

Slippery Rock’s Bill Jordon, who was second after the first day of competition took first place in the decathlon with 6,124 points edging out fellow teammate Paul Schwab’s 6,100. First day leader Justin Reichardt of Kutztown with 5,912. Shawn Clancy of Lock Haven finished fourth ahead of James Knox of Millersville and Dan Benner of East Stroudsburg.

Heptathlon

Kutztown’s Renee Marchand kept her first place standing from day one and took top honors in the heptathlon with 4,349 points. Becky Bullard of IUP was second 4,174 followed by Kristen Malloy of Edinboro with 3,994. Slippery Rock’s Lauren  Walters was fourth followed by Mary Dietrich of Millersville and Amanda Reinmiller of Lock Haven with 3,464.

Saturday features 31 final events starting with the women’s discus at 9 a.m. and running though the women’s 1600 meter relay at 3:15.