2003 NEWMAC MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP - Wheaton women capture fifth consecutive championship; Men finish fifth overall

April 27, 2003

NORTHAMPTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's track and field squad posted 181.50 points Sunday afternoon en route to its fifth consecutive New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship. The Lyon women have now won six straight conference crowns and seven of the last eight titles dating back to the New England Women's 8 Conference (NEW- 8). The men posted 62 points and finished in fifth place overall.

The women posted 16 all-conference (first and second place finishes) performances on the day, with nine NCAA Division III national meet provisional qualifying standards and three NEWMAC records. Leading the way was sophomore Tessa Donoghue (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) and first-year Aspen James (Woodbury, MN/Woodbury), who won three events each. Donoghue placed first in the long jump and triple jump by posting jumps of 5.45m and 11.57m, respectively. Her triple jump mark was good enough to exceed the provisional distance. Donoghue also was a part of the winning 4x400-meter relay in addition to finishing second in the high jump. James had provisional times in the 100 (12.25) and 200-meter dashes (24.89) in addition to running a leg in the victorious 4x100M relay.

In the hurdle events, senior Noreen Kordzeil (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) took the 100-meter hurdles title in a provisional and conference record time of 14.61 while placing second in the 400M hurdles in 1:04.99. Winning the 400-meter hurdles was junior Kim Spence (Barrington, NH/Dover), who posted a provisional time of 1:04.26. Also recording victories on the afternoon was junior Amber James (Woodbury, MN/Woodbury), who registered a provisional time of 56.52 in the 400-meter dash, sophomores Kathrine Wallace (Glenmoore, PA/The Hill School) in the high jump (1.63m) and Kirsten Larsen (Hampden, MA/Minnechaug Regional) in the javelin with a provisional and NEWMAC record throw of 40.83M. Rounding out the all-conference performances was senior Kristen Cullen (Stoneham, MA/Stoneham), who finished second in the 100M hurdle event with a provisional time of 14.62 and freshman Noelle Battista (Warwick, RI/Toll Gate), who came in second in the pole vault with a provisional vault of 3.36M.

In the relay events, both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter squads posted top finishes. The 4x100M team, consisting of Spence, Aspen James, senior Jana Bromell (Spencer, MA/David Prouty) and freshman Oly Wirtz (Fitchburg, MA/Fitchburg) posted a time of 49.63, while the 4x400M team of Bromell, Kordzeil, Donoghue and Wirtz finished in a conference record time of 3:58.34.

On the men's side, five individuals and the 4x400-meter relay team all earned all-conference accolades on the afternoon, led by junior Tyrone McClain (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse), who captured first place in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Classmate Eric Benson (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) won the 400-meter dash in a NEWMAC record of 48.57 and finished second to McClain in the 200M. Sophomore Dan Olson (Voorheesville, NY/Albany Academy) won the high jump with a provisional jump of 2.06m. Rounding out the all-conference selections was the 4x400-meter relay team, consisting of McClain, Benson, sophomore Adam Walker (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) and freshman Ajay Sisodia (Andover, MA/Andover), capturing the title in 3:21.33.

Last updated on 4/29/03.
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