TicketsApril 15, 2010
CINCINNATI - On the heels of breaking two school records at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., last weekend, the University of Cincinnati men's and women's track & field squads return to the track April 16-17, when they travel to Athens, Ohio, to compete in the All-Ohio Championships.
The All-Ohio Championships serves as one of two tune-ups before the Bearcats host the 2010 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Gettler Stadium, April 30-May 1.
Last weekend, the quartet of freshmen Ethan Freet and Maurice Norman, junior Chase VanCura, and senior Antione Drakeford placed fourth in the 4x400 with a time of 3:09.77, slightly besting the previous school-record mark of 3:09.93 set at the 1985 Metro Conference Championships by Byron Hill, Lewis Johnson, Rodney Johnson and Robert Pittman. The 25-year old school-record was one of the oldest in the UC record books and with Norman and Drakeford running well coming off injuries, the group looks to improve their time in the weeks leading up to the BIG EAST Championships.
On the women's side, the 4x800 meter relay team of sophomores Jenny Harsh, Jenna Heaton, Kathy Klump, and senior Megan McAuley all ran outstanding legs to score our highest place finish in the meet, and smash their previous school record by a staggering seven seconds.
In a highly competitive meet, sophomore David Barry clocked in at 31:00.64 in his first ever 10,000m race, which was a BIG EAST qualifying mark, while the 4x100 relay squad notched a season-best time of 41.20. Juniors Troy Cooper and Chris Littleton both placed in the Top 10 in the shot put and the discus, while the trio of Brandon Fitch, Ryan Beltz, and Mike Foley all placed in the Top 10 in the high jump.
The women's team had four other Top 10 finishes turned in by Natasha Burse's eighth- and 10th-place finishes in the 200m and 100m, respectively, Michelle Eby's eighth-place showing in the pole vault, and Bridget McNeill's ninth-place toss of 135' 11" in the discus.
Entering the week, the men's team has 32 athletes qualified for the BIG EAST Championships in 17 events, while the women's team has 24 athletes qualified for the BIG EAST Championships in 16 events.
The All-Ohio Championships begin at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 16, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 17.