At Albright Saturday, Indoor Track & Field Teams Underway
Also under Schweikert, the Crusader men are just 1-3 and are trying to break a three-meet losing streak. After opening with a win at Western Maryland (52-41), the men lost tough decisions to both powerful Dickinson (85-109) and Lycoming (86-112) before a decisive loss to Drew last Sunday.
The 1998-99 Crusader indoor track and field teams also debuted last Saturday at the Bucknell Winter Open and had some good individual performances. The women are under the direction of new head coach Jane Wildman, while the men are coached by venerable 21st-year coach Jim Taylor.
MEN’S SWIMMING CAPSULE
Freshman Ben Voelker (Mechanicsburg/Trinity H.S.) has probably been the top performer for the men thus far. He has recorded the team’s fastest times in the 50-yard freestyle (:23.23) and both the 100-(:56.21) and 200-yard (2:16.04) butterfly this season — winning the 50-free vs. Drew and the 200-fly vs. Lycoming while posting those times. Voelker has finished first in his individual events five times already this season. He also swims a leg on the freestyle relay teams, helping the 200-yard team take first vs. both Dickinson and Lycoming (season-best 1:35.43 vs. Dickinson).
Junior co-captain Steve Fischer (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood H.S.) has also continued his collegiate success, particularly in the 200-yard individual medley. He set a new school record in the event (2:05.65) last season and has already recorded two first places this season vs. both Lycoming (2:08.59) and Drew (2:08.76). He was second in both the 100-and 200-yard breaststroke in those two meets, recording the team’s best time of 1:05.44 last Sunday. He has also swam legs on the squad’s two fastest medley relay teams (1:49.19 in the 200, 4:01.28 in the 400).
WOMEN’S SWIMMING CAPSULE
While the freshmen have dramatically improved the women’s team, sophomore Charlotte Murray (Humelstown/Hershey H.S.) may still be its most dominant swimmer in the distance freestyle events. Murray was a triple-winner in the Lycoming win, and a double-winner vs. Dickinson — winning both the 500 and 1,000-yard freestyle each time. Murray has the team’s fastest times in both events this season with a 5:39.38 in the 500, and a 11:36.48 in the 1,000. She also swims a leg on the squad’s two freestyle relay teams, helping the 200-yard squad win vs. Lycoming (1:52.99).
Freshmen Kim Allen (Orefield/Parkland H.S.), Michelle Badorf (Lancaster/Penn Manor H.S.), Kristy Truitt (Paxinos/Shamokin H.S.), Val Bodam (Phoenixville/Phoenixville H.S.) and Anja Santiago (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk H.S.) have led the team by capturing 23 first-place finishes over the season’s first four meets.
Of the group, Badorf and Bodam have led the way as both were triple-winners vs. Lycoming and double-winners vs. Drew. Badorf won the 100-yard backstroke (1:05.28) and the 200-yard freestyle (2:06.59) and swam the lead-off leg on the winning 200-yard medley relay team (2:02.18) vs. Lycoming. She also won the 200-back (2:18.87) and swam the lead-off leg in the winning 400-medley relay (4:25.47) vs. Drew. Bodam won the 100-breast (1:16.04) and the 200-IM (2:23.26) vs. Lycoming, and the 200-IM (2:25.25) vs. Drew — swimming on both medley relay teams.
Truitt also captured the 50-yard freestyle vs. Lycoming (:27.32), with Allen taking first in that event (:27.18) vs. Drew. Both also swam on the winning medley relays in those meets.
Santiago has joined with Murray to excel in the distance freestyle events, winning both the 500 (6:00.94) and 1,000-yard freestyle (time not available) in the season-opening win at Western Maryland.
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CAPSULE
Junior Matt Fenstermacher (Watsontown/Warrior Run H.S.) placed second in the long jump (22-11 1/2) and was sixth in 55-meter dash (:06.65) to lead the Susquehanna men’s track and field team as it opened its 1998-99 indoor season last Saturday at the Bucknell Winter Open.
The team’s top hurdler this season may end up being freshmen Trever Fike (Millerstown/Greenwood H.S.) who finished fourth in the 55-meter high hurdles (:07.99). Senior hurdler Charles Barley (Temple Hills, Md./Suitland H.S.) also ran well and just missed the finals — placing second in his heat (:08.20).
The Susquehanna men were also well represented in the shot put by sophomore Todd Paling (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Twp. H.S.) and freshman Matt Schaffer (Brookville/Brookville H.S.). Paling finished sixth with a throw of 42-6, while Shaffer was eighth with a distance of 41-1 3/4.
On the women’s side, senior sprinter Tonya Wolfe (Turbotville/Warrior Run H.S.) and sophomore hurdler Emily Dugan (Athens/Athens H.S.) were the lone competitors. Wolfe was fourth in her heat in the 400-meter dash (1:06.56) and sixth in the 200 (:30.89), while Dugan was sixth in her heat of the 55-meter hurdles (:09.67).
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