As Ready As They're Going to Be

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Both the Susquehanna University men's and women's track and field teams are optimistic that they'll be competitive, despite missing several key people with injuries, when they join nine other teams at this Saturday's Middle Atlantic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at Lebanon Valley College's Arnold Sports Center.

Competition will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Widener and Moravian are the defending men's and women's team champions respectively, and figure to be the favorites once again this season. Both Susquehanna teams were third a year ago and would like to finish in the top three again this season, although injuries and other absences could hamper their efforts.

Under 22nd-year head coach Jim Taylor, the men's team will enter the meet without any hurdlers due to injuries, which have also beset some of their jumpers and throwers. With the old Amos Alonzo Field now demolished while construction is underway on the new Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium/Amos Alonzo Stagg Field and new field house, the track and field teams are currently without an on-campus training facility. That has taken its toll – both health-wise and in training.

"I can't ever remember going to meet without any hurdlers, but that's what we're going to do Saturday. I think the people we're going to take are going to compete, but we just won't have the numbers to be real competitive team-wise," said Taylor.

Craig Penney is in his first season as head coach of the women's track and field program and has already had to endure the transfer of the school's only women's national champion in junior javelin thrower Janee Shaner, along with the season-ending knee injury to senior jumper and four-time MAC outdoor champion Karyn Kern (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.). While Shaner and Kern probably wouldn't have helped his cause indoors, he is already thin in the throwing and jumping areas. The lack of scoring in those areas, coupled with the training deficiencies at present, have made Penney's job tough this weekend. Still, he's optimistic.

"We may not have a complete team and training has been real difficult, but I think the people we're taking Saturday are ready to go see where we are right now," said Penney.

The Men's Report

Senior Matt Fenstermacher (Watsontown/Warrior Run H.S.) will lead the men's contingent at the MAC indoor meet, where he is the defending champion in the long jump (21-11½), and finished second in both the triple jump (44-1¾) and 55-meter dash (:06.82). Also a returning national qualifier outdoors in the triple jump with his second-place jump at MACs (46-8¾), Fenstermacher has the team's best long jump (22-11½) and fastest times in the 55 (:06.6) and 200 (:23.43) this indoor season.

While Fenstermacher is the returning indoor champ in the triple, sophomore Ryan Hollis (Mifflin/Juniata H.S.) has the squad's indoor best jump (42-0½) this winter.

Senior Matt Shingara (Elysburg/Southern Columbus H.S.) is back from a one-year hiatus from Susquehanna and has posted the squad's top 400-meter time indoors (:54.25).

Yet another local product, sophomore Jake Trevino (Danville/Danville H.S.) has the fastest times in both the 800-meter (2:06.03) and miles runs (4:41.26) this winter.

In the longer distances, sophomore cross country leader Mike Lehtonen (Laurens, N.Y./ Morris Central H.S.) has indoor best times in the 1,500 (4:24.03) and 5,000-meter (16:23.94) runs.

The Women's Report

Freshman Erin Colwell (Belleville/Indian Valley H.S.) and senior Sarah Costello (Palmyra/Palmyra H.S.) were Penney's top runners on his first Crusader cross country team this past fall, and have also been the leaders in the distance events during the indoor track season. Colwell is ranked third in the conference in the 5,000-meter run (19:08.63), while Costello is fourth (19:30.95) going into Saturday.

Junior hurdler Emily Dugan (Athens/Athens H.S.) was second in the 55-meter hurdles (:09.59) and fifth in the 200-meter dash (:29.17) last year at the MAC indoor meet. She is presently ranked third in the 55-meter hurdles (:09.54) and also has the team's fastest 200-meter dash (:28.82).

Sophomore Charlotte Gould (Yardley/Pennsbury H.S.) was third at the conference outdoor meet last spring in the 200-meter dash (:27.02) and was fifth in the 400 (1:01.40). She has the team's fastest 400-meter time (1:05.31) indoors this season.

Defending 400-meter indoor champion (1:01.67) and Crusader senior Jen Becker (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury H.S.) has opted not to compete indoors this season as she still recovers from foot fractures which ended her outdoor season prematurely last spring.