Track: WVU Cruises Through State Farm Games
February 05, 2005 05:18 PM | General
February 5, 2005
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s track team breezed through the field to win an unprecedented 12 event titles on Feb. 4-5, at the State Farm Games in Morgantown, W.Va.
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| West Virginia's Jessica Czaikowski competes during Saturday's State Farm Games at the WVU Shell Building in Morgantown.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
West Virginia posted 25 top five finishes to go along with its 12 event championships. The Mountaineers closed out the weekend with one NCAA, five ECAC and 12 BIG EAST qualifiers.
On Friday, sophomore Abbie Stechschulte bettered her career high point total by over 300 points en route to a NCAA provisional total in the pentathlon. The Columbus Grove, Ohio, native won three out of five events on the day to achieve a career total of 3,739 points.
Stechschulte opened the series of events with a first place finishing time of 8.67, an ECAC qualification, in the 60 meter hurdles. After placing third in the high jump, she recorded a mark of 12.27 in the shot put to take the event title.
Stechschulte’s third and final event championship came in the long jump where she cleared a BIG EAST mark of 5.60 meters to take first place. After recording a third place time of 2:30.61 in the 800 meters, the multi-event specialist clinched the first NCAA provisional qualification of her career in the pentathlon.
In other action, senior Mary Greene qualified for the BIG EAST indoor championships in the high jump after recording a leap of 1.60 meters. The Richwood, W.Va., native’s jump was the second highest jump in the field behind fellow teammate Nancy Regalbuto who claimed first place with a BIG EAST mark of 1.69 meters.
In Saturday’s action, Jessica Czaikowski had another sensational day, winning two events while placing second in another. The Tottenham, Ontario, native crossed the line in an ECAC time of 7.60 to capture first place in the 60 meter dash. Czaikowski’s second event championship came in the 60 meter hurdles where she breezed by the field with an ECAC qualifying time of 8.45.
In the 200 meters, Czaikowski paced the Mountaineer effort with a second place finish and a time of 24.97. The sophomore’s stellar time clinched her third ECAC qualifying mark of the day. Junior Junique Morris (25.28) finished a spot behind Czaikowski at third while sophomore Shani Boone (25.61) placed fourth. Morris and Boone’s times were both BIG EAST qualifying performances.
Senior Pam Richardson ran away with the 400 meter title after recording an ECAC qualifying time of 56.61. Junior Kenyetta Conway (1:00.20) and sophomore Rhea Mann (1:00.30) placed third and fourth respectively.
Senior Jennifer Kemp barely broke a sweat en route to winning the 800 meter title. Kemp’s time of 2:15.98 was nearly four seconds faster than her closest competition. Jennifer Davis was the top finisher in the mile run where she recorded a BIG EAST time of 5:07.43. Jennifer’s twin sister, Susan, placed second in a photo finish after registering a BIG EAST qualifying mark of 5:07.84.
A trio of young Mountaineers dominated the top three positions in the 3,000 meters. Freshman Maria Stover sprinted the final lap to make a late push and win the event with a time of 10:27.35. Fellow freshmen Alison Spiker (10:30.60) and Nicole Lemal (10:36.70) finished second and third respectively.
In the 4x400 meter relay, West Virginia nearly lapped the field en route to winning the event with a time of 4:05.09. West Virginia’s closest competitor, West Virginia Wesleyan, completed the relay in a time of 4:23.89.
WVU posted four event championships in the day’s field events. Regalbuto clinched her second high jump championship in as many days after recording a jump of 1.68 meters. Regalbuto’s two high jump championships over the weekend give the Hedgesville, W.Va., native a total of five high jump titles on the season. Sophomore Alexis Noel placed second in the event with a leap of 1.63 meters while Greene recorded a jump of 1.52 meters to place fourth.
Noel captured her first individual title as a Mountaineer on Saturday after she recorded a mark of 5.46 meters in the long jump. Junior Michele McGinnis also clinched an event title, winning the weight throw after recording a BIG EAST qualifying heave of 14.06 meters. Sophomore Julie Grove (12.77) placed second in the event while junior Elizabeth Hummel (10.83) finished fifth. McGinnis also placed second in the shot put with a toss of 12.01 meters.
Senior Jennifer Hall was West Virginia’s top finisher in the pole vault. The Salem, Ohio, native was crowned event champion after clearing a BIG EAST qualifying mark of 3.35 meters.
West Virginia returns to action on Feb. 11-12, when it travels to State College, Pa., for the third time in four weeks to compete in the Penn State National Open.
