Trinity to Host 2004 Track & Field Championships

HARTFORD, Conn. - The Williams men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams will both attempt to capture their fourth straight conference titles this weekend as all 11 NESCAC institutions travel to Trinity College for the 2004 NESCAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Saturday, April 24. The Williams men will be looking to capture their 11th title in 12 years and the Williams women their 9th in 11 years.

NESCAC athletes have already posted impressive marks this season, many worthy of national recognition. Several are ranked at the top in the most recent NCAA Division III outdoor performance lists in their respective events. Bates junior Joel Colony has posted the nation’s third best time in the 100-meter dash, an NCAA provisional qualifying time, and a top 10 time in the 200-meter event. Colby’s Xavier Garcia and Williams’ John Symanski have also posted top performances so far this season in the 100- and 200-meter events respectively.

Garcia, the reigning NESCAC champion in the 400-meter dash, the triple jump, and the long jump, recently took home four titles at the State of Maine Championships held at Bates College on April 17. His winning 400-meter time of 48.13 broke a 43-year-old State of Maine Record. He also took home titles in the 200-meter dash (22.17), the long jump (22’-9") and the triple jump (44’-1.5").

In other events, Middlebury sophomore Kevin Bright has posted the fourth best Division III time this year in the 400-meter hurdles. With the departure of Tufts champion hurdler Greg Devine, Bright and last year’s 110-meter champion Wesleyan’s Pat Moffett look to vie for the 400-meter hurdle title. Moffett has also posted a provisional qualifying time of :14.80 in the 110-meter hurdle event, good for the 15th best time in the nation this season.

There are several outstanding female performers competing in the conference as well. Bates sophomore Kelly Godsey has set the standard this year for Division III in the hammer throw. Her throw of 188’-0.5" at UMass-Lowell this past weekend is the best in Division III and is an NCAA automatic qualifying mark. Bates senior Liz Wanless has also posted an NCAA automatic qualifying mark in a field event. Her 50’-10.5" toss in the shot put is the best by far in Division III this year as she will look to defend her NESCAC shot put title.

In distance events, NESCAC women look very strong. In the 5000-meter event, Williams’ Caroline Cretti, Amherst’s Carter Hamill and Amherst’s Shauneen Garrahan have posted this year’s second, third, and fourth best Division III times respectively. Elizabeth Brown and Christina Kane, both of Trinity, have also posted NCAA provisional qualifying times in the event.

In the 1500-meter event, Middlebury junior Jessica Manzer has posted the third best Division III time at 4:36.62. Hamill, Garrahan, Cretti, and Kane have also all posted provisional qualifying times in the 1500. In other distance events, Williams junior Jenn Campbell has posted the nation’s best Division III time in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Shauneen Garrahan has posted the nation’s third best time in the event.

The championship format, previously a two-day event, was changed to a one-day competition in 2003. The meet gets underway at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at Jessee/Miller Field. Results will be available at the conclusion of the event online at www.nescac.com.