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Women's Season In Review
The fourth season of women's track and field at the University of Cincinnati was a successful one, highlighted by the first All-American in the program's history. Senior Mimi Merrill earned the distinction after placing eighth in the hammer throw at the 2001 NCAA Indoor Championships. In addition, 20 school records fell, led by Laura Valldeperas who set five new marks and Charlyn Ray with four.
Merrill Makes History in Indoor Season
The women's indoor team opened the season with two meets in Armory Fieldhouse. The Bearcats edged out local rivals Dayton, Miami and Ohio to take top honors at the meet. Junior Charlyn Ray led the charge for UC with a first place finish and a school record in the 55 meters (7.09), while senior Mimi Merrill set the tone for the season as she tossed a provisional NCAA mark and placed first in the 20 lb. weight on her first try.
The following week, the Bearcats hosted the Cincinnati Open, a non-team scored meet in which three squad members set UC records.
The team continued the non-team scoring events with the Indiana Invitational, where senior P.J. Ball picked up two victories taking top honors in the 3,000 (10:09.35) and 5,000 (17:57.60) meters. The battle for track and field supremacy in Ohio was the Bearcats next challenge, the annual All-Ohio meet. The Bearcats' finished second out of 12 squads at the meet, with Merrill winning the 20 lb. weight event and senior Michelle Bosse placing first in the 800 meters, setting a new fieldhouse record in the process.
The team capped off the indoor season at the Conference USA championships in Houston. The squad equalled it's finish from 1999 as they placed fifth.
Merrill went on to earn a trip to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., becoming UC's first female NCAA qualifier. She took the feat a step further as she placed eighth in the event (64-1) to earn All-American honors.
Bearcats Enjoy Strong Outdoor Season
The Bearcats opened the outdoor season on a winning note, taking first place honors at the Ohio Triangular meet. Sophomore Laura Valldeperas won the 400 hurdles (66.46) and the long jump (16-1) for two of UC's nine first place efforts. The Bearcats headed to the Alabama Relays for their next outing, with Valldeperas and Julie Moser breaking school records in the heptathlon (4,740) and pole vault (10-11 3/4), respectively. The team earned 27 top-25 marks among the 25-team field.
The Bearcats returned home to host their first outdoor home meet of the season, pitting UC against six regional schools. Six different individuals and two relay squads posted victories, helping the Bearcats to a first place finish in the team standings. Ball placed fourth in the inaugural 3,000 meter steeplechase at Meyers Field.
The squad garnered a fourth place mark at Indiana. Ball took top honors in the 3,000 meters for the Bearcats only victory of the day.
Next up for UC was the annual Southern Ohio Cup, with the Bearcats coming up five points short of Ohio, relinquishing the Cup to the Bobcats. Junior Mary Danner continued her torrid pace as the women's top middle sprinter with a victory in the 400 meters, while junior Angie Kist took top honors in both the 800 and 1,500 meter events. Mimi Merrill and Julie Moser also picked up victories on the day.
The following week UC split the squad, sending a portion of the team to the Penn Relays, while the remaining members hosted the Bearcat Classic. No team scores were kept for the Classic, but the Bearcats reeled off five first place efforts for the meet. The Penn Relays were highlighted by a seventh place finish by Merrill in the hammer throw.
Bearcats Post 12 Top Tens at C-USA
After the Penn and Classic weekend, the Bearcats had a week to rest before heading to Tampa, Fla. for the 2001 Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Cincinnati ended it's season with a sixth place finish, improving upon the seventh place finish from a year ago. Kist placed highest for UC, taking third in the 1,500 meters, leading 12 top 10 efforts for the team. Valldeperas recorded three of those finishes, placing sixth in the heptathlon, ninth in the long jump and 10th in the triple jump. Freshman Amber Bollinger had two top ten finishes, scoring fourth in the high jump and 10th in the heptathlon.
Mimi Merrill's All-American Year
Mimi Merrill's record-breaking season included establishing a school record in the 20 lb. weight throw three times and placing first in the event in every meet leading up to the NCAA meet. Merrill won the 20 lb. weight throw at the Conference USA indoor meet and was also honored with a C-USA athlete of the week award.
UC Track and Field Gets the Job Done in the Classroom and on the Track
Bearcat track and field nearly swept all of the University of Cincinnati athletic department academic awards, highlighted by the presentation of the Helen Norman Smith award to Mimi Merrill, given annually to the most outstanding graduating student-athlete. Senior Emily Wolterman was named Topcat Scholar Athlete of the Year, denoting the student-athlete with the highest grade point average among all graduating Bearcats. Senior P.J. Ball was awarded with the Graduate Scholar Athlete of the Year award, given to the top graduate-student athlete. Combining with the men's team, the Bearcats earned 18 Topcat Scholar Athlete awards (GPA's between 3.5-4.0) and 24 Bearcat Scholar Athletes (GPA's between 3.0-3.49)
| 2000-01 Track and Field Awards | |
| Most Valuable (Indoor): | Mimi Merrill |
| Most Valuable (Cross Country): | Angie Kist |
| Most Valuable (Outdoor): | Mimi Merrill |
| Most Improved: | Julie Moser |
| Best Freshman: | Amber Bollinger |
| Best Teammate: | Mandy McCumber |
| Most Obvious Freshmen: | Amber Kellon & Amber Bollinger |
| Bearcat Award: | P.J. Ball |
Men's Season In Review
The University of Cincinnati men's track team produced one of the most exciting and memorable seasons in program history in 2001. The Bearcats won theConference USA Outdoor Championship, veteran mentor Bill Schnier earned C-USA Coach of the Year honors and UC garnered a first place individual finish at the prestigious Penn Relays and two new school recordswere set.
The 2001 season produced a solid foundation for the future of UC track and field.
Bearcats Enjoy Strong 2001 Season
The Bearcats opened their season with a trip to Athens, Ohio, to compete in the Ohio Triangular. UC finished third in the meet, behind first place efforts in the 800 meters by senior Jason Riegelsberger and in the high jump by senior Jared Burkholder.
Following a trip to the Alabama Relays, the Bearcats hosted their first meet of the season. Behind seven first place efforts, UC won the eight- team meet. Junior Brandon Hon proved he would be a force to be reckoned with this season by capturing both hurdles events, while Burkholder won his second high jump title of the young season. Sophomore Chris Wineberg picked up his first win of the season, capturing his first of two pole vault titles.
The men's team, using the momentum from the home meet win, finished second at the Indiana Invitational, with Hon picking up top honors in the 110 meter hurdles. Hon picked up two more victories the next weekend at Miami, giving him five for the year, while Burkholder won high jump title number two for the season.
Next up for UC was the annual Southern Ohio Cup at Ohio University. The men's team was victorious behind five first place finishes, including another win in the 110 hurdles by Hon. Wineberg picked up his second pole vault title of the year, while junior T.J. Doherty (1,500 meters), sophomore Tyre Johnson (triple jump) and junior Brady Morris (hammer throw) were also victorious. However, the Bearcats relinquished the overall championship as the women placed third.
The following week UC split the squad, sending a portion of the team to the Penn Relays while the remaining members hosted the Bearcat Classic. Senior Mike Yoder made history at the Penn Relays as he captured the gold medal in the decathlon, marking the first UC individual Penn Relay winner in program history and first since the 4x800 meter relay team won in 1999. The shuttle hurdle relay runners etched their names in the record books at Penn as the team of Yoder, sophomore Anthony Davis, freshman Jim Ramstetter and Hon, recorded a new school best time of 58.81 en route to a fifth place finish in the event. The Bearcat Classic was highligted by the third high jump title of the year for Burkholder and an 800 meter win by Doherty.
Men Win C-USA Title in Dramatic Fashion
After the Penn and Classic weekend, the Bearcats had a week to rest before heading to Tampa, Fla., for the 2001 C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. UC edged Memphis by one point to win its second C-USA title in school history. Trailing by two points heading into the final event, the 4x400 meter relay, the Bearcats rallied to place second. The prospects were bleak when anchor runner Hon took the baton. UC was fourth in the race when Hon ttripped on the rail. After stumbling, Hon exploded down the stretch, passing two runners in the final 150 meters to finish second and earn the eight points needed to capture the championship. Hon also garnered the Bearcats lone individual championship, picking up top honors in the 400 meter hurdles. The Bearcats dominated the event as three runners scored points, with sophomore Todd Heinecke placing fourth and Davis seventh.
Despite just one first place finish, Cincinnati was able to capture the team championship behind a strong team effort that netted 21 finishes in the top eight positions. Wineberg led the way, placing second in the decathlon, third in the pole vault and fourth in the javelin, while running the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay team. Along with his win in the 400 meter hurdles, Hon placed fourth in the 110 meter hurdles, while freshman Muhammed Saafir scored points in the 100 (seventh place) and 200 (sixth) meter events.
Schnier Named Conference USA Coach of Year
Bill Schnier was named Conference USA Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year after leading his team to the second C-USA Championship in school history. The award is Schnier's fourth in C-USA after earning seven during UC's tenure in the Great Midwest Conference and three when the Bearcats competed in the Metor Conference. Schnier's honor is his first in C-USA for track and field, with the previous three coming in cross country.
Two School Records Fall
One individual and one relay record fell during the 2001 track and field season. Sophomore Chris Reis broke the five-year old record in the 10,000 meters, posting a time of 30:28.67, bettering the old mark by nearly five seconds. The shuttle hurdle relay also fell, as the team of senior Mike Yoder, sophomore Anthony Davis, freshman Jim Ramstetter and junior Brandon Hon set a new mark of 58.81.
UC Track and Field Gets the Job Done in the Classroom and on the Track
Bearcat track and field nearly swept all of the University of Cincinnati athletic department academic awards, highlighted by the presentation of the Jimmy Nippert award given annually to the most outstanding graduating student-athlete, to Mike Yoder Senior Pete Brawn was named Topcat Scholar Athlete of the Year, denoting the student-athlete with the highest grade point average among all graduating Bearcats. Combining with the women's team, the Bearcats earned 18 Topcat Scholar Athlete awards (GPA's between 3.5-4.0) and 24 Bearcat Scholar Athletes (GPA's between 3.0-3.49)
| 2000-01 Track and Field Awards | |
| Most Valuable (Cross Country): | Chris Reis |
| Most Valuable (Outdoor): | Brandon Hon & Mike Yoder |
| Most Improved: | Chris Weinberg |
| Best Freshman: | Muhammad Saafir |
| Best Teammate: | Chris Camfield & Tim Trucco |
| Most Obvious Freshman: | Tony Rieger |
| Bearcat Award: | Jared Burkholder |