UC Track Prepares for BIG EAST Championships

UC Track Prepares for BIG EAST ChampionshipsUC Track Prepares for BIG EAST Championships

Feb. 16, 2007

Meet Notes
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FOR STARTERS:

The of indoor track & field team will travel up I-71 fto for the 2007 BIG EAST Championships. UC is coming off a strong second-place performance at the All-Ohio Championships. The Bearcats finished 14th at the BIG EAST Championships last season, UC's first as a member of the 16-team conference, and look to greatly improve on that finish this year.

BEARCAT BITES:

• Renee Hein is currently the fourth-ranked high jumper in the nation with a 6' 1-1/2" clearance. She has won the event in four of the five meets in which she has competed this season. The senior from twice qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and her current mark is an automatic qualifier for the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships in on March 9-10.

• Brittany Klima and Tara Meier share the top BIG EAST pole vault mark at 12' 5-1/2".

• Shintara Carpenter is second in the conference with a 40' 1" triple jump.

• UC enters its second season of competition in the BIG EAST Conference in 2007 after finishing 14th at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships last season. The conference features 16 women's indoor track & field teams, constituting the largest league in the nation.

• Seniors Shintara Carpenter (triple jump), Renee Hein (high jump), junior Brittany Klima (pole vault) and senior Ashley Wilhelm (60 meter hurdles, pentathlon) are returning indoor school record-holders.

• Head coach Jim Schnur is in his 23rd year at and his sixth as head women's coach. Former Bearcats All-American Chris Wineberg is in his first year as assistant women's coach.

2006 BIG EAST INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:

The UC indoor track and field team finished 14th at the 2006 BIG EAST Championships, which wrapped up on Sunday, Feb. 19, at the . Notre Dame won the team title with 109.5 points, while finished second with 86 points, just ahead of 's 85.

On day two of competition, sophomore Brittany Klima was UC's top finisher, placing fifth in the pole vault with a clearance of 12' 3-1/2". Teammates Tara Meier and Ashley Wilhelm were right behind as Meier posted an 11' 9-3/4" vault to finish seventh. Wilhelm, who finished second in the pentathlon and fourth in the long jump on Saturday, was ninth with a personal-best 11' 9-3/4".

Junior Renee Hein, who won the 2005 Conference high jump championship, finished sixth this season, clearing 5' 7". Senior Jocelyn Gibson, who set a school record in the 800 meters on Saturday, finished seventh in the finals on Sunday with a 2:12.49.

The Bearcats scored 25 team points, finishing ahead of (15.5) and DePaul (1), both newcomers to the BIG EAST this season.

UP NEXT:

UC will travel to , for the All-Ohio Championships on Saturday, Feb. 10, where state bragging rights will be on the line.