Wheaton women make history with fourth consecutive national championship

March 9, 2002

ADA, OH- The Wheaton College women's indoor track & field team underscored its dominance of NCAA Division III competition today by doing something no team has ever done: winning four consecutive national championships.

Wheaton's women earned 65.5 points on their way to the championship, outscoring their closest competitor by 28 points. The University of Wisconsin at Osh Kosh placed second (37 points), the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, third (35.5 points) and Williams, fourth (29 points). On the men's side, the college had its best showing yet, finishing fourth in the nation.

"We set four national records along the way, which is just unbelievable. This is testimony to the team's commitment throughout this year," said Head Coach Paul Souza, who was voted National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track Coaches Association. "It was great to see some of our freshmen step up for the biggest meet of the year, but it was the veterans who really set the tone."

Indeed, senior Shimera Daniels (Brentwood, NY) led the way for the Lyons, and in the process, the All-American ensured that she spent her entire college career on a national championship team. She captured first place in both the long jump and the triple jump with leaps that set new Division III records. She also scored in the 55-meter dash, finishing third in 7.18 in the finals while recording a personal-best time of 7.16 in the trials.

In the long jump, Daniels landed a record-breaking distance of 19' 6 3/4", also a school record and personal best. In the triple jump, Daniels flew 41' 5", nearly three feet beyond the second-place jump and almost a foot better than her previous record. After the meet, Daniels was named the 2002 NCAA National Field Athlete of the Year.

Sophomore Amber James (Woodbury, Min.) outpaced the field in the 400-meter dash with a Division III record-setting time of 55.46. finishing nearly a second ahead of her closest rival. James' blazing finish also broke the Wheaton school mark. She was named the 2002 NCAA National Track Athlete of the Year.

James also combined with Tessa Donoghue (Springfield, Mass.), Niara Woods (Philadelphia, Penn.) and April Butler (Clinton, MD) to win the 4X400-meter relay in a blistering 3.48.78, smashing a 15-year-old Division III record.

Senior Woods streaked to fourth place the 800-meter run in 2:14.43 while sophomore Kim Spence (Dover, N.H.), who also qualified for the 800-meter final, finished in 2:19.13. Both earned additional points for the team. Donoghue placed fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 38' 3 1/2" and scored points in the high jump along with senior Kate Getz (Cumberland, Maine). The duo tied for seventh place with jumps of 5' 3 1/4". Freshman Erin O'Brien (North Easton, Mass.) earned an All-American finish in the 1,500-meter run, placing seventh overall in 4:39.91.

Junior Kerry Teamey (Klamath Falls, Ore.) kicked off the meet with an incredible performance in the pole vault, as she finished in a tie for fifth overall with a height of 11' 4 1/4". Her vault placed among the nation's top eight finishers and earned her an NCAA Division III All-American award.

On the men's side, the Lyons won fourth place on the strength of an outstanding performance by senior Rahiem Greenridge (Wyandanch, N.Y.). Greenridge topped the competition in the high jump with a leap of 6' 11 3/4" and won the triple jump at 52' 1 3/4". The wins marked his fourth in the high jump and his second in the triple jump. After the meet, Greenridge was named the 2002 NCAA National Field Athlete of the Year.

Also picking up All-American tags and scoring for the Lyons was freshman Dan Olson (Voorheesville, N.Y.), who placed third in the high jump with a mark of 6' 11 3/4", and sophomore Erik Benson (Southbury, Conn.)in the 400-meter dash.

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