April 21, 2005
RICHMOND, Va. - George Mason University is set to host the 2005 Colonial Athletic Association Men's & Women's Track & Field Championships this weekend. The William & Mary women's team will be shooting for its fifth straight conference title while the Tribe men will be going after their third in a row. Championship action will begin at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22 and continue into the evening. Saturday's slate is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.
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The W&M women edged George Mason by one point last year in what was the closest margin of victory in league history. W&M's women have achieved a total of five conference titles while the men have collected four. UNC Wilmington has a CAA record six men's titles as the Seahawks were crowned champions from 1997-2002. George Mason has a league-high nine women's crowns as the Patriots won all titles from 1990-1998.
Six Tribe women claimed individual titles at last year's championship and five are returning. Junior Sarah McHale will look to defend in the heptathlon, senior Charlotte LaRoache in the pole vault, sophomore Jennifer Showker in the discus, and sophomore Meghan Bishop in the 1500 meter run. Senior Cassidy Harris hopes to collect her third shot put title in a row. Junior Kristyn Shiring has notched the top performance this season in the 5000-meter run as have junior Bonnie Meekins in the heptathlon, and senior Ayanna Jones in the shot put.
George Mason also crowned six individual champions last year as the Patriots finished runner-up for the fourth straight year. CAA Athlete of the Year Alyce Williams, who claimed victories in the long jump and triple jump, is not competing this season. Junior Alycia Williams, Alyce's twin sister, returns after winning the 200-meter dash last year. Senior Sheena Davidson, who has won three consecutive titles in the 400-meter dash, set a CAA meet record (53.57) in last year's event. Junior Ashley Ackerley will also look to post a solid outing in the discus as she notched the best performance in that event this year. The Patriots' 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams also claimed gold. The 4x400 meter relay squad set a new CAA meet record (3:42.26) and went on to finish 19th in the NCAA preliminaries. That squad has posted the best time this spring. Senior Paula Bailey is a top contender in the 400-meter dash as is freshman Fiana York in the 800-meter run.
UNC Wilmington will return three individual winners from last year's squad that posted a third place finish. Senior Christie Schreckengost will shoot for her fourth straight crown in the javelin. Schreckengost placed 21st in the NCAA preliminaries last year and has qualified for the NCAA Regionals. Sophomore Ashley McLellan will look to defend her title in the hammer throw as well as sophomore Debbie Martin in the high jump. Sophomore Fatima Shuler has had a very impressive spring as she recorded the top time in the 100-meter dash. Sophomore Anna Raynor, the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2004, has also posted this year's best performances in the 100-meter hurdles, high jump and javelin. Additionally, freshman Demetria Powell has the best performance in the 400-meter hurdles entering the championship. The Seahawks' 4x100 meter relay team has also recorded the top time this year and has hopes of ousting three-time defending 4x100 meter relay champion George Mason.
Two individual winners will also return for James Madison as the Dukes finished fourth at last year's championship. Junior Nelly Anderson captured the title in the 3000-meter steeplechase and junior Shannon Saunders in the 5000-meter run. Anderson has posted this year's top performances in both the 3000-meter steeplechase and the 1500-meter run and Saunders, who finished 16th in the NCAA 10000-meter run last year, has qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships in that event this year. Sophomore Adrienne Mayo has also recorded the top performance in the triple jump this season.
Virginia Commonwealth will look to improve on its fifth place showing last year as two Rams have captured top performances in their respective events this year. Leading the Rams will be freshman Sheemeca Berkley in the long jump and senior Cheri Manning in the 100 and 200-meter dash. Junior Tanika Brown is expected to contend for the title in the high jump.
On the men's side, William & Mary returns four individual winners from a squad that boasted eight individual champions overall. Senior Andy Smith will look to defend his title in the javelin, sophomore Keith Bechtol in the 5000-meter run, junior Matt Keally in the 10,000-meter run and junior Matt Wolak in the 800-meter run. Senior Jeff Hedley placed 23rd in the NCAA 5000-meter run. Sophomore Matt Warco has this year's top performance in the 1500-meter run, graduate student Ed Moran in the 5000-meter run, sophomore Anthony Arena in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and senior Jon Healey is favored in the 10,000-meter run. Moran has qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the 5000-meter run.
Virginia Commonwealth should contend for the title as the Rams finished runner-up last year. The Rams are led by sophomore Davion Lambert who captured the long jump crown as a freshman last year. The 4x400 meter relay team of James Frierson, Eric Coleman, Marcus Tyus and Juron Williams took gold in the event last year. Frierson, a sophomore, also has the top performances in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. Lukasz Matusiewicz has the top time in the 800-meter run. Senior Brett Frykberg has the best performance in the javelin this season, as does freshman Grant Mathews in the decathlon.
UNC Wilmington, which finished third at last year's championship, will return sophomore Zeickia Ledwell, the 400-meter dash champion. Ledwell has also been tops in both the 110 and 400-meter hurdles this spring. The Seahawks' gold medal winning 4x100 meter relay team of A.J. Kaschak, John Gross, Eric Templeton and Ledwell will also return. The Seahawks have also been solid in field events this spring. Top performances have been recorded by sophomore Michael Hulme in the pole vault, junior Greg Jachym in the shot put, and senior Matt Roden in the hammer throw. UNCW has also recorded the top time in the 4x400 meter relay this season.
George Mason had four individual champions last year and will look to improve on a sixth place showing. CAA Athlete of the Year and All-American Richard Phillips captured two of those titles, but is not expected to compete. The Patriots will rely on senior Quentin Matthews, who took top honors in last year's high jump, and senior Mark Kellman, who claimed the title in the triple jump. Kellman finished 11th in his flight in the triple jump at the NCAAs and has qualified for the NCAA Regionals this year. The Patriots' 4x100 meter relay team has posted the best mark this spring.
James Madison's Paul Cawley (400-meter hurdles) and Pat Barron (pole vault) captured individual titles last year and will return to lead the Dukes, who finished fifth at last year's championship.
Delaware finished fourth at last year's championship. Senior Mike Yost has had an impressive spring in the discus as he has the best performance in that event.
