Bucknell University Athletics
ECAC/IC4A Championships Next in the Lineup For Bucknell Track and Field
5/11/2006 8:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
May 11, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - With the 2006 Outdoor Patriot League Championships over and out of the way, the Bison track and field teams are ready for competition at the 23rd women's ECAC and 130th men's IC4A Championships. The action is scheduled for May 12-14, at the William Weaver Track & Field Stadium in Princeton, N.J.
To earn a place at either the ECAC or IC4A Championships, individuals must meet predetermined qualifying standards. This year, Bucknell will be represented by a large group of athletes competing in 22 different events.
Bison action is set to open on Friday, beginning at 12:30 p.m., with the women's heptathlon. Junior Nina Reinhardt (Northport, N.Y./Northport) will be competing for the Orange and Blue, having previously set a multi-event qualifying score of 4453 points at the Patriot League Championships (May 5-6).
The ECAC discus will follow the heptathlon, at 5:30 p.m., with junior Marjorie Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) and sophomore Amanda Mockbee (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) representing Bucknell. Grap hit the qualifying mark at the Sam Howell Invitational (April 7-8) with a heave of 150 feet, 6 inches. Mockbee earned her spot at the Jim Taylor Invitational (March 25), throwing for 142-9.
Junior Jenny Stevens (Laceyville, Pa./Wyalusing Valley) will be running in the women's 5000-meter run, scheduled for 6:45 p.m., followed by sophomore Wallace Campbell (Montgomery, Ala./Montgomery Acad.) in the men's event at 7:05 p.m. Both Stevens and Campbell qualified at the Bison Outdoor Classic (Apr. 14-15) clocking in times of 17 minutes, 20.88 seconds, and 14:32.95, respectively.
Closing out Friday evening action for the Bison is the women's 10,000, at 7:30, featuring junior Leanna Nastase (Beaverdale, Pa./Forest Hills). Nastase's spot was claimed at the Classic, with a 37:35.09 finish.
Saturday will feature 14 events for Bucknell, beginning in the morning with the continuation of Reinhardt's battle in the heptathlon at 9:30, followed by Grap's participation in the hammer throw at 10, Grap tallied her highest mark of the season at 186-3, at the PL Championships (May 5-6), crushing the standard by 27-2.
Female pole vaulting standout junior Melanie Buczko (Butler, Pa./Butler) hit the qualifying mark in every meet she competed in this season, with her highest leap marking 13-1 1/2, set at the Penn Relays (Apr. 27-29). The pole vault is scheduled for 11.
Immediately following the start of the pole vault will be the women's 100 hurdles, at 11:15, featuring junior Catherine Trentacoste (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City). Trentacoste hit the standard at the PL meet with a time of 14.23.
Kicking off Saturday afternoon action will be junior Beverly Rogers (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) in the javelin. She met the qualifying mark at the very first meet of the season, the Liberty Invitational (March 24-25), with a toss of 140-0. Rogers is scheduled to throw at noon.
Melanie Buczko will be competing in the ECAC pole vault.  |
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At 12:50, junior Christa Sawko (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) will be competing in the ECAC 800, meeting the qualifying time at the PL Championships in 2:09.97, followed by the IC4A hammer throw at 1. Senior Dan Frake (Northport, N.Y./Northport) and junior Tyler Hoffman (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) will test their season-long dominance in the hammer, marking qualifying season highs of 194-9 and 182-8, respectively.
Trentacoste will also be running in the 400 hurdles, scheduled for 1:20. Her season's best time of 1:01.17 was set at the PL Championships.
Bucknell will enter 4x800 relay teams in both the ECAC and IC4A events, beginning with the ECAC trials at 2, followed four hours later by the IC4A race.
Junior Mark Caroleo (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) bettered the standard in the 1,500 by .46, with a mark of 3:51.28, at the Classic. Caroleo's race will start at 3:20.
Heading into the late afternoon is the IC4A pole vault, featuring Bison sophomore David Mante (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley), hitting the standard with a 15-7 leap at the Jim Taylor Invitational. With the pole vault beginning at 4, freshman Kerry Boyle (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton) is expected to compete in the 400 five minutes later. Boyle's indoor IC4A time (March 4-5) of 48.32 was strong enough to carry over and earn him a spot at the outdoor championships.
Saturday action will conclude in the evening with the 4x400 relay, scheduled for 6:20.
Sunday will open in the morning with the IC4A javelin, featuring junior Josh Kaehler (Hanover, Pa./South Western) participating for the Orange and Blue at 10:30. Kaehler improved with each throw during the season and set his best qualifying mark at the PL Championships at 212-9.
While Kaehler throws the javelin, Frake will be competing in the shot put. Frake hit a season-high at the PL meet with a toss of 52-2 1/2.
Junior Ann Doty (Punxsutawney, Pa./Punxsutawney) will be competing in the ECAC triple jump, beginning at 11. Doty qualified at the Liberty Invitational, jumping 39 1/4.
If Bucknell qualifies, the remainder of Sunday will be used for the finals in the IC4A 1,500, 400, 4x800, 4x400, as well as the ECAC 800, 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles and the 4x800.
An awards ceremony will take place following the conclusion Sunday's competition.
