SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna University men's and women's track and field teams are in action at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships at Widener University this weekend. Action began Thursday with the first day of the decathlon and heptathlon with full competition beginning Friday and concluding Saturday.

The Crusader men narrowly missed their second consecutive MAC championship in 2004, finishing in second place just 1 ½ points behind first-time winner Elizabethtown, while the women placed second behind 12-time reigning team champion Moravian.

MEN'S PREVIEW

Susquehanna has finished second to Elizabethtown in each of the last three conference track and field championship events, including the 2004 and 2005 indoor meets in addition to last year's outdoor meet.

Senior Matt Hill (Williamsport, PA/Montoursville) is the defending champion in the shot put and hammer throw, victories that enabled him to share Most Outstanding Performer honors with Danny Wicks of Messiah and Mike Vidumsky of DeSales at the 2004 championships.

Hill is the top seed in the hammer throw with a school-record and NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 177 feet, 4 inches set at Bucknell on April 16, a distance that is over 29 feet further than second-seeded Nick Orfanella of Lebanon Valley. He won the weight throw at the MAC indoor championships by tying a conference record with a throw of 51 feet, 5 ¾ inches.

Senior Kyle Sanders (Danville, PA/Danville) won the 400 meters in both 2002 and 2003 but finished second last season. He is seeded fifth (50.39 seconds) just behind sophomore teammate Joe Wassink (Staten Island, NY/Petrides School), who is ranked fifth in the 400 hurdles at 56.59 seconds.

Junior Rob Daniele (Wyncote, PA/Cheltenham) is the defending outdoor champion in the pole vault and is ranked third in the event this season at 14 feet, 6 inches, which is the height that allowed him to finish third at the MAC indoor championships.

Freshman Mike Marr (Muncy, PA/Warrior Run) led a Crusader sweep of the high jump at the MAC indoor championships, and is the top seed outdoors with a mark of 6 feet, 6 inches. Sophomore Josh Smith (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) is ranked in a tie for second at 6 feet, 4 inches while sophomore Mike Drake (Larksville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) is seeded fifth at 6 feet, 3 ¼ inches.

Smith is seeded third in the triple jump at 45 feet, just behind junior Scott Haldeman (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) who has a best outdoor jump of 46 feet, 2 inches after qualifying for the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships with a school-record leap of 47 feet, ¾ inches at the MAC indoor meet.

In the javelin, freshman Ian Horton (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville) is the top seed with a best mark of 172 feet, 6 inches while sophomore Chris Kolak (Elliotsburg, PA/West Perry) is ranked second at 172 feet and senior Nate Anderson (Danville, PA/Danville) is fourth at 169 feet, 6 inches.

WOMEN'S PREVIEW

Sophomore Emily Lepley (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) is the favorite to sweep the 100 and 400 hurdles after finishing second in both events last year en route to earning MAC Rookie of the Year honors.

Lepley, who finished sixth in the 100 hurdles at last year's NCAA Division III Championships, won the 55-meter hurdles at the MAC indoor championships.

Senior Casey Kauffman (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) is the defending indoor and outdoor champion in the pole vault and is tied with seven others for the top seed at this year's outdoor meet with a height of 10 feet.

Freshman Sarah Burkhardt (Hoffman Estates, IL/Schaumburg) is seeded third in the high jump after winning the event at the MAC indoor championships with a height of 5 feet, 2 inches.

Sophomore Heather Matta (Holyoke, MA/Westfield) is ranked second in the steeplechase (12:10.45) and fourth in the 1500 meters (4:54.53) while senior Jen Minnig (Mount Carmel, PA/Mount Carmel) is ranked second in both the 100 meters (12.56 seconds) and 200 meters (25.92 seconds).