TicketsMarch 18, 2010
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati Outdoor Track & Field team opens its 2010 outdoor season on Saturday, March 20, when it hosts the Early Bird Relays at Gettler Stadium. The meet begins at 10 a.m. with the hammer throw at Coy Field and the discus at Gettler Stadium.
The scoring in the Early Bird Relays differs from other events. In order to earn first-place points, a team has to have the best combined time or mark from two of its own athletes. The next team with the best combined time or mark earns second-place points and it continues throughout.
"Our team can't wait for the outdoor season to start," said men's head coach Bill Schnier. "We have been practicing since September and this is what we have trained for. Although we still have some of our top sprinters injured, we fully expect to be at full strength by the end of the season when it counts."
The Early Bird Relays is the first of three home meets this season. The Bearcats will host the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational on April 3, before welcoming some of the top athletes in the country to Clifton for the 2010 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championships April 30 - May 2.
To view the meet schedule for the Early Bird Relays, Click here.
Below is the 2010 UC Outdoor Track & Field season preview:
The University of Cincinnati track and field program has seen continuous improvement since joining the BIG EAST during the 2005-06 school year. The men's team tied for its best finish of fourth place and the women's team earned its top finish of sixth place at the 2009 BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Cincinnati looks to continue its upward climb towards a BIG EAST Championship in 2010.
Sprints/Hurdles
The strength of the 2010 Bearcats squad lies in the sprints. Junior Natasha Burse, who broke the school record in the 100 meters at the Cardinal Twilight with a time of 11.67, is UC's top sprinter in the 100 and 200 meters entering the season. She is joined by senior Ashley Arnold, who broke UC's indoor school record in the 400 a season ago, sophomore Aricka Rhodes and a large group of talented freshmen who are looking to contribute immediately.
On the men's side, UC welcomes back its sprinting leaders in All-American Antione Drakeford and Dayo Igeleke for their senior seasons. Drakeford capped off an impressive 2009 campaign by earning all-American status in the 400 meters and returns for his final year in Clifton with aspirations to not only return to the NCAA's, but to compete for the title.
Last season, Igeleke was hampered by injuries late in the season, but he is clearly UC's top runner in the 100 meters and 200 meters. Over the last two seasons, Igeleke has been on the verge of making it to the NCAA Championships and has a great chance of reaching his goal this season.
The Bearcats also return key components from both its men's and women's 4x100 relays. The quartet of Brian Bruner, Drakeford, Chase VanCura, and Igeleke are all back to defend their title earned last season at the BIG EAST Championships, while Burse and Rhodes were two key components of the women's 4x100 squad that placed third at the conference championships.
In addition to his success as a part of the 4x100, VanCura broke onto the scene with a solid campaign in the 400 meters last year. The Bearcats also welcome a pair of exciting freshmen in Maurice Norman and Darnell Gilbert.
In the hurdles, UC has a talented group on both the men's and women's side that gained valuable experience a season ago. Sophomore Terrence Somerville placed fourth at the BIG EAST Championships in the 110 hurdles and was ranked 10th in the NCAA Mideast Region before a false start ended his campaign. Despite the disappointment at the end of last season, Somerville has the talent and is poised to challenge for NCAA All-American status this season. Senior Allen Moore and last year's Ohio State Champion in the 300 hurdles, Ethan Freet, should be a real force for UC this season.
Sophomores Hauna Dawkins, Paris Campbell, and Briana Patton are set to pace the women's team in the hurdles in 2010. Dawkins placed third at the BIG EAST Championships in both the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles despite battling injuries. Now healthy, Dawkins looks to improve upon her freshman campaign and compete for a BIG EAST title.
Patton and Campbell showed glimpses of their ability last season and look to place in the Top 8 this year at the BIG EAST Championships in both the high hurdle races. Campbell was the State runner-up in Ohio in the hurdles her senior year, while Patton captured a state title in Colorado during her senior year.
Distance
A good mix of experience and youth defines the distance runners for Cincinnati's women squad and it all starts with sophomore Kathy Klump, and seniors Tamara Masters, Lilian Jelimo, and Jocelyn McCauley.
In her freshman campaign, Klump shined in the 800 meters throughout the season, which included breaking the school record in the event with a time of 2:09.94 at the All-Ohio Championships. The much improved Jenna Heaton also will give UC a boost in the 800 meters.
Masters, Jelimo, and McCauley all ran well for UC during the 2009 cross country campaign, which bodes well for the 2010 indoor and outdoor campaigns. McCauley transferred to Cincinnati from BYU and gives UC another top performer in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter events, while Jelimo holds five UC records in distance events.
Unlike previous years, Rick King was unable to compete during the fall cross country season with his eligibility exhausted in that sport, but King will be fresh for the track season and is one of the Bearcats top returners in the distance events along with sophomore Eric Finan. After a stellar freshman outdoor track season that included setting a school record in the 5,000 meters and a fifth place showing in the 5,000 meters at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships, Finan led Cincinnati throughout the 2009 cross country season. He was UC's top finisher in each event during the fall and the confidence built during the cross country campaign should carry through to the track season.
Jumps
Senior Jasmine Cotton looks to build on her strong performance last season when she was an NCAA qualifier in the heptathlon during the outdoor season and pentathlon during the indoor season. Her strongest events within the heptathlon and pentathlon are the high jump and long jump, currently holding the school record in the indoor long jump (19'9'').
In addition to Cotten, the Bearcats are excited about Shanay Portis. The freshman from Springfield High School has tremendous upside, and was a state qualifier in the long jump during her sophomore campaign. Portis gives the team depth not only in the jumps, but in the sprints as well.
Sophomores Mackenzie Fields and Michelle Eby return this season as the top two performers in the pole vault. As a freshman, Fields notched a second-place finish in the pole vault at the BIG EAST Championships with a personal- best mark of 12' 11-1/2". With the addition of Kris Mack to the coaching staff, who has coached multiple All-Americans in the event while at Stanford and Indiana, Fields and Eby have a bright future ahead of them.
On the men's side, senior Brandon Fitch looks to crown a brilliant career at Cincinnati by returning to the NCAA Championships. The high jump specialist last made an appearance in 2008 and it was during that season that Fitch won the BIG EAST title in the high jump. Fitch is currently the school record-holder in the indoor high jump, with a mark of 7' 1/2". The Bearcats have a talented group of jumpers in addition to Fitch that include Ryan Beltz, Mike Foley and pole vaulter Tommy Marks.
Throws
Lisa Klotz returns as the top thrower for the women. The senior from Colerain High School, looks to end her career at UC on a high note. She placed eighth at the 2009 BIG EAST Outdoor Championships in the shot put with a toss of 46' 3".
In addition to Klotz, junior Catherine Earl, and senior Deanna Rippy, UC welcomes a talented group of young throwers in Jessica Cobb , and Bridget McNeill, who will attempt to make an immediate impact .
Sophomore Brian Zimmerman returns following a fine freshman campaign, where he broke the schools longest standing record, Bob Brickweg's javelin mark, set in 1967 - with a 204' 0" toss at the All-Ohio Championships. He capped his season off with an eight-place finish at the BIG EAST Championships.
Junior Troy Cooper emerged as Cincinnati's top scorer in the shot put a season ago. Cooper set the UC record in the shot put at the All-Ohio Championships with a throw of 57' 09", breaking Greg Weber's record set in 1983. Cooper's improved strength and work ethic make him one of the top throwers in the BIG EAST entering 2010. Cooper will also look to score points for UC in the discus and hammer throw.
Both the men's and women's team blend a solid group of veterans that have all contributed in the discus, shot put, hammer-throw, and javelin, with a solid core of young and talented athletes.
The 2010 season is filled with much anticipation for the Cincinnati men's and women's track and field team and the Bearcats have the opportunity to continue their climb up BIG EAST supremacy in front of their hometown fans and on their own track when they host to 2010 BIG EAST Championships April 30 - May 2 at Gettler Stadium.