Four Wheaton track athletes pick up victories at Brown Invitational

April 12, 2003

PROVIDENCE, RI- The Wheaton College men's and women's track and field teams traveled to Providence, RI to compete in the Brown Invitational at Brown Stadium. Competing against seven Division I and one Division II programs, the women finished in seventh place overall with 36.5 points, while the men placed ninth with 22 points.

Four Wheaton athletes picked up victories on the day, with two gaining NCAA Division III national meet automatic qualifying marks. Achieving automatic qualifications was sophomore Dan Olson (Voorheesville, NY/Albany Academy), who leaped 7' 1" in capturing the high jump title on the men's side, and junior Vernick Smith (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson), who posted a time of 55.59 in the 400-meter dash on the women's side.

In addition to Olson and Smith, juniors Eric Benson (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) and Amber James (Woodbury, MN/Woodbury) captured the 400-meter dash and the 200-meter dash events, respectively. Both gaining provisional qualifying marks, Benson won the 400M in a time of 48.48, while James won the 200M in 24.82.

Four other Lyon women scored points in the meet, with two earning provisional qualifying standards in the process. Senior captain Kristen Cullen (Stoneham, MA/Stoneham) finished third in the 100-meter high hurdles in a provisional time of 14.87, while sophomore Tessa Donoghue (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) jumped 37' 8" in gaining provisional status in the triple jump. Donoghue placed fourth in the event.

Three women posted fifth place finishes on the day, led by senior captain Noreen Kordzeil (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) in the 100-meter high hurdles (15.14), Donoghue in the long jump (17' 10 3/4") and first-year Aspen James (Woodbury, MN/Woodbury) in the 100-meter dash (12.85). Sophomore Kathrine Wallace (Glenmoore, PA/The Hill School) rounded out the point scorers for the women, placing sixth in the high jump.

One additional athlete scored points on the men's side. Junior Tyrone McClain (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) posted a sixth place mark in the 200-meter dash, finishing with a time of 22.68.

The Wheaton men and women will return to action this Saturday, April 19, when the Blue and White travel to Dedham, Massachusetts to compete in the Solomon Invitational. Meet time is set to begin at 10:00 a.m.

Last updated on 4/15/03.
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