Bucknell University Athletics
2000-01 Men's And Women's Indoor Track Wrap-Up
3/7/2001 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
March 7, 2001
LEWISBURG, PA- The Bucknell men's and women's indoor track and field teams concluded their season with strong showings at the Patriot League Championships, held in Halsey Field House in Annapolis, Md. at Navy. Both teams finished second at the conference meet as the Navy women won their first PL crown and the Army men were victorious for the eighth straight indoor season. In addition to placing well at the league championships, many Bucknell athletes competed at the IC4A and ECAC Championships.
The men's team included 13 seniors - Dana Carr (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads), Matt Davis (Bay Head, N.J./The Peddie School), Josh Emery (Dushore, Pa./Sullivan County), James Hollins (Feeding Hills, Mass./Northfield-Mt. Hermon), Dan Hosey (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst), Andrew Hunsberger (Southampton, Pa./William Tennent), Nate Kraft (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield), Mark Ledgerwood (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge), Matt Murdock (Donora, Pa./Ringgold), Chris Nowakowski (Waldor, Md./Westlake), Ryan Stairs (Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area), Kevin Weatherill (Swedesboro, N.J./The Peddie School) and Brad Wertz (Altoona, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) - who have been consistent contributors to the program. In addition to the seniors many underclassmen also contributed to the team's success.
Capsules on several of the men's top performers follow:
Eric Furst (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen Central)
A sophomore distance runner on the squad this indoor season, Furst put his name in the record books by running the 9th fastest time in the 1000-meter run at the Penn State Invitational. Next to his name on the Bucknell all-time performance charts is a time of 2:27.75 in the 1000-meter run. At the Indoor Patriot League Championship meet, Furst gained valuable points for the men by finishing third in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2.28.02, while also qualifying for IC4A's. Furst was a member of the 4x800-meter relay team, which came in second place at the league meet and performed well at IC4A Championships.
David Gabriel (Sayre, Pa./Athens Area)
Gabriel used his junior season to become one of the fastest men in Bucknell history. Throughout the season Gabriel ran the 55-meter dash and the 200-meter dash to perfection. He solidified his seventh position on the all-time charts in the 55-meter dash by running a time of 6.51, two hundredths faster than his personal best, at the Colgate Class of '32 Invitational. Gabriel scored a total of 12 points for the Orange and Blue at the Patriot League Indoor meet by finishing fourth in the 55-meter dash and by winning gold in the 200-meter dash. His season continued at the IC4A Championship meet in Boston, Mass. where he ran the 200-meter dash in a blistering time of 21.98, breaking his own school record. He was named the ECAC Track Athlete of the Week once during the season on 12/13/00.
James Hollins
A steady performer for the Bison throughout the years in the field events, Hollins concluded his indoor career in flying colors. Primarily a long and triple jumper, Hollins also ran the 55-meter dash on several occassions. Hollins briefly held the Patriot League Indoor Championship long jump meet record when he landed 23' 11 ?" away from the board on his final jump. This is the second longest distance cleared by any individual in BU history but was out done by a competitor from Colgate in the conference meet. Hollins would receive his first-place medal in the triple jump with a leap of 47' 2 ?". His longest hop-skip-jump of the season was a distance of 47' 9", fourth all-time, at the first meet of the season. Hollins was a three time ECAC Field Athlete of the Week this season, all came during December.
Andrew Hunsberger
Hunsberger was a steady influence on the men's indoor track team this season as he set the 10th fastest time in the 500-meter run and was exhaustively used in the relay events. At the Penn State Invitational, Hunsberger cracked the all-time performance charts in the 500-meter run with a time of 1:06.16 (10th all-time). Competing at the IC4A Championships, Hunsberger was a member of the 4x400-meter relay team which finished with a time of 3:20.40 and moved into sixth all-time on the school charts.
Brian Klotz (York, Pa./Dallastown Area)
Klotz, also a member of the 4x400-meter relay team which set the sixth fastest time in school history, ran out of his shoes at the Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championships. Only a sophomore, Klotz ran the 400-meter dash in a blistering 49.76 at the conference meet to take fourth place for the Bison. Individually, this time gives Klotz the fourth fastest time on the Bucknell performance charts.
Ryan Stairs
Stairs wrapped up his senior indoor season by claiming the Patriot League title in the 35 lb. weight throw with a toss of 58' 4 ?". Earlier in the season at the Penn State Invitational, Stairs moved into the second slot all-time when he threw the weight a distance of 58' 10 ?". He finished his season by competing at the IC4A Championships in Boston, Mass.
The women's team included four seniors - Meg Ghiggeri (Milford, N.J./Delaware Valley Regional), Jessica Petermann (Amityville, N.Y./Amityville Memorial), Laura Ryan (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) and Mandy Youmell (Weedsport, N.Y./Weedsport) - who have been consistent contributors to the program. In addition to the seniors many underclassmen also contributed to the team's success. Capsules on several of the women's top performers follow:
Stephanie Bango (Smethport, Pa./Smethport)
Only a junior, Bango continues to rewrite the Bucknell record books every time she steps on the track. Her most dazzling performance of the entire season was a provisional national qualifying run in the 800-meter run at the Penn State Invitational. She not only became a provisional national qualifier but she also broke her own school record with a time of 2:09.43. She was named the ECAC Track Athlete of the Week three times and was also honored as the 2001 Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championship Track Athlete of the Meet. At the conference meet, Bango brought home gold in both the 400-meter and 800-meter runs as well as being a member of the gold medal 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter relay teams. Her 400-meter run performance was the second best in school history as she strode over the finish line in a time of 57.07. Bango's 4x800-meter relay foursome wrapped up the season by breaking the all-time school record in the event with a time of 8:57.71 at the ECAC Championship meet.
Jamie Lilien (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley)
During her freshman campaign, Lilien made a huge impact on the Bison track program by recording three top-ten performances. She also became the next great pent-athlete for the Orange and Blue this season. Her strongest event by far was the 55-meter hurdles, which she won at the Patriot League meet with a time of 8.44. Lilien now holds the third best time in the hurdle event at Bucknell. A multi-event athlete, Lilien also has the fourth best long jump in BU history at 18' 2 ?" and the sixth best high jump of 5' 4 ?". Lilien helped the Bison to a second place Patriot League finish by scoring 18 points in the league meet.
Becki Marshall (Montgomery, N.Y./Pine Bush Central)
After a thrilling cross-country season, Marshall continued her dominance in the long distance events by running the third fastest 3000-meter time in Bison history. She ran the 3K event in a time of 9:50.01 at the ECAC meet in Boston, Mass. Marshall also ran the tenth fastest mile time of 5:06.56 at the Patriot League Championship meet.
LaTonya McSwain (Cleveland, Ohio/Hawken)
McSwain had a great junior season as she was a member of the Patriot League Championship 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter relay teams as well as having several great individual performances. Her 4x800-meter relay foursome set the all-time school record in the event at the ECAC Championships with a time of 8:57.71. On an individual front, McSwain now has the fifth fastest 400-meter time (59.31) and the sixth fastest 800-meter time of 2:17.56. At the conference meet, McSwain took second place in the 500-meter run with a time of 1:16.52.
Andrea Nyce (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge)
In the past season, Nyce has become one of Bucknell's most reliable field athletes. She concentrated this season on the pole vault and proceeded to break her school record several times, finally leveling off at a height of 11' 10" at a meet in early December. Nyce was also called upon at the league meet to compete in the triple jump where she proceeded to jump a distance of 36' 11 ?" and take second place. Her jump's distance also moved her up into seventh on the all-time top-ten performance list.
Ryan wraps-up an indoor career with several personal record performances this season. At the Penn State Invitational, Ryan ran the 500-meter dash and moved into third all-time by crossing the finish line with a time of 1:16.45. In a slightly longer event, the 800-meter run, Ryan slid into the seventh position on the all-time charts with a time of 2:17.60 at the Bucknell Winter Classic. Her most important performances of the season came when running with her 4x800-meter relay team. The 4x800-meter relay team won gold at the conference meet and then went on the break the school record at the ECAC Championships with a time of 8:57.71.
