Women capture sixth consecutive NEWMAC Championship; Men better last year's mark with fourth place finish at Springfield

April 24, 2004

SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Wheaton College women's outdoor track and field team remained perfect in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) competition Saturday afternoon at Springfield College's Blake Track, as the Lyons used nine event championships to collect their sixth straight conference championship in the six-year history of the NEWMAC. The women totaled 166.5 points among the eight-team field, while the men bettered last year's mark by finishing fourth of six teams with 96 points.

Senior Amber James (Woodbury, MN/Woodbury), who was voted NEWMAC Athlete of the Year, captured three event titles, including winning the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchoring the top 4x100-meter relay team. All event winners are automatically selected to the NEWMAC All-Conference first team. James set a conference championship meet record with an NCAA Division III national event provisional qualifying time of 24.84 in the 200-meter dash. She also recorded a provisional qualifier in the 100-meter event with a time of 11.99, just four-hundredths of a second shy of the automatic standard.

Joining James in the 4x100-meter relay race was junior Jessica Allegra (East Hampton, CT/East Hampton), sophomore Oly Wirtz (Fitchburg, MA/Fitchburg) and freshman Alison Amendola (Franklin, MA/Franklin), as the foursome finished in 50.15. Allegra, Wirtz, Amendola and junior Kathrine Wallace (Glenmoore, PA/The Hill School) were also victorious in the 4x400-meter relay. Wallace captured the top prize in the high jump with a clearance of 5' 4 1/4", while senior Kim Spence (Barrington, NH/Dover) posted multiple-event wins in the 400-meter hurdles and 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her times of 1:04.26 in the 400M and 11:21.87 in the 3,000M were both provisional qualifying performances.

Rounding out the event winners were freshmen Katelyn Teixeira (Seekonk, MA/Seekonk) and Stephanie Cummings (Princeton, MA/Worcester Academy) in the javelin and pole vault events, respectively. Athletes that earned NEWMAC All-Conference second team recognition for placing second in their events included Allegra in the 400-meter dash, junior Kirsten Larsen (Hampden, MA/Minnechaug Regional) in the javelin and freshman Crystal Blamy (Walpole, NH/Fall Mountain View) in the high jump.

On the men's side, Wheaton posted four event winners, including senior Erik Benson (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) in the 400M dash, junior Stan Pyle (South Portland, ME/South Portland) in the 10,000M run, sophomore Ajay Sisodia (Andover, MA/Andover) in the 100M dash and the 4x100M relay team, consisting of Sisodia, senior Tyrone McClain (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) and freshmen Jonathan Geffrard (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep CDS) and Thomas Simmons (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford).

The 4x100-meter relay team posted a conference championship meet record time of 42.58. Sisodia finished the 100M in 10.88, while Benson posted a time of 49.56 in the 400-meter dash. Shattering a 10-year school record by an astounding 55 seconds, Pyle outdistanced his competition in the 10,000-meter run by more than 45 seconds with a time of 33:03.22. Capturing NEWMAC All-Conference second team honors included senior Terry Panetta (Hicksville, NY/St. Anthony's) in the 800-meter run, junior Patrick Freytag (Pittsford, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) in the 400-meter hurdles and the 4x400-meter relay team, comprised of Benson, Sisodia, Freytag and Geffrard.

Complete Results

Last updated on 5/20/04.
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