Track and Field Prepared To Compete In Penn Relays – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
April 25, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio–The Buckeyes split the squad this week as a portion of the team will compete in the 107th running of the Penn Relays April 26-28 in Philadelphia, Pa., while other members will participate in the Bearcat Classic April 28 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Penn Relays collegiate track and field events begin Thursday at 10 a.m. Events resume Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9:10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. The Bearcat Classic is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
About The Penn Relays
The Penn Relays is the first and largest track and field relay meet in the world, featuring athletes on all levels of competition. The meet, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, has been run annually since 1885 and will be held at Franklin Field. 18 Buckeyes will compete in 17 events during all three days of the relays.
Last Time Out
The Buckeyes displayed a strong performance last year at the relays, including Donica Merriman’s (Sr., Trotwood, Ohio) meet record time of 12.70 in the 100-meter hurdles. The team earned eight Top five finishes and placed in the Top 10 in five other events. The following Buckeyes are scheduled to compete in the Penn Relays: Katy Craig, Nicholette Chambers, Onica Frasier, Brandi Hogan, Dalanda Jackson, Tina Johnson, Molly Logan, Alexis McCall, Donica Merriman, Tami Smith, Joel Brown, Courtney Cornwall, Edison Francis, Thomas Dickson, Brad Hart, George Hoover, Andrew Pierce, Ian Connor and Rob Myers.
About the Bearcat Classic
The University of Cincinnati will welcome approximately 600 men’s and women’s athletes from 16 teams to compete in the Bearcat Classic. Teams from Berea, Cumberland, Findlay, Indiana, Kai-Zen Track Club, Kentucky State, Marshall, Midway, Morehead State, N. Kentucky, Otterbein, West Liberty, Wilmington, Wright State and Xavier are expected to compete. The Buckeye women earned 10 Top 5 finishes in nine events and the men earned nine Top 5 finishes in 10 events in last years meet. Buckeyes In The Rankings
The women moved in to the 25th spot in the most recent rankings released by Trackwire in their Top 25 Power Rankings (April 24). In addition, several Buckeyes are ranked nationally in their events.
For the women, Donica Merriman is tied with Perdita Felicien of Illinois for the number two spot in the 100-meter hurdles. Sprinter Onica Fraser (So., Brooklyn, N.Y.) is ranked 20th in the 400-meter dash. Tami Smith (So., Galloway, Ohio) is ranked 13th in the high jump. Thrower Alexis McCall (Fr., Elyria, Ohio) is ranked 28th in the shot put. Katy Craig (Jr., Hilliard, Ohio) holds 10th spot in the discus throw.
On the men’s side, Andrew Pierce (Sr., Yellow Springs, Ohio) is ranked 10th in the 400. Distance runner Ian Connor (Sr., Lexington, Ohio) is 12th in the 3,000 steeplechase. Thrower Jeff Matcha (So., Middleton, Wis.) is ranked 26th in the shot put. George Hoover (Fr., Erie, Pa.) is eighth in the javelin throw. The 4×400-meter relay team of Courtney Cornwall (Sr., Inwood, N.Y.), Edison Francis (Sr., St. James, Trinidad), Thomas Dickson (Sr., St. Vincent, West Indies) and Pierce is ranked 15th.
Big Ten Athlete of the Week
Andrew Pierce was named Big Ten Athlete of the Week based on his outstanding performance at the Pacesetter Invitational April 21. Pierce set a Marks Field record with an NCAA provisional time of 45.97 in the 400. He also recorded a personal best provisional time of 20.7 in the 200. In addition to his personal achievements, Pierce ran second leg in the 4×400 relay. The team took first place with a time of 3:10.06. He also anchored the second place 4×100 relay.
Broken Records
The Buckeyes broke several Marks Field records at the Pacesetter Invitational April 21. The women’s 4×400 relay team broke the previous record of 3:45.4 held by Indiana State with a time of 3:45.32. The 400 sprint medley team broke the previous record of 58.31, also held by Indiana State, with a time of 56.82. For the men, Andrew Pierce broke the previous record of 46.0, held by Dwight Middleton of Southern California since 1966, with a time of 45.97.
Meet The Coach
In his 12 years at Ohio State, Russ Rogers has produced 100 Big Ten indoor and outdoor track and field champions, 10 NCAA indoor and outdoor champions and 65 All-Americans. His 1993 teams alone produced 16 All-Americans and 12 Big Ten titlists in both indoor and outdoor events. Rogers was recently chosen as the head coach of the national team that participated in the 1999 World Indoor Championships in Macbashi, Japan.
Rogers has more than 30 years of head coaching experience in national and international track and field. His most recent experience was with the U.S. team at the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was also the 1988 sprint coach for the U.S. Olympic Team which competed in Seoul, Korea, the 1987 coach of the World University Games team, the 1985-86 head coach of the U.S. track team and has numerous other coaching credentials.
Rogers came to Ohio State from Fairleigh Dickinson University, located in Teaneck, N.J., where he was the head coach for both the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams for 10 years. Rogers led the Knights to Metropolitan Conference championships from 1980 through 1984. He also guided them to six conference championships in cross country between 1979-85. He was named District II Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1982. While at Fairleigh Dickinson, he coached 25 NCAA All-Americans, 10 individual NCAA titlists and sent five athletes to the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
From 1969 to 1979, Rogers was the head track and field and cross country coach for both the men’s and women’s teams at Essex County College in Newark, N.J., where he also served as assistant athletic director. While at Essex, Rogers was named National Junior College Coach of the Year five times, leading Essex to four indoor and four outdoor national titles. During his 10-year term, Rogers coached 125 junior college All-Americans and the first and only junior college team to win the Championship of the Americas at the Penn Relays in 1974.
Looking Ahead
The Buckeyes host the 16th annual Jesse Owens Track Classic Sunday, May 6 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The classic serves as a tribute to one of the most famous, beloved and respected athletes in Ohio State athletics. Events are set to begin at 9 a.m. with 21 teams scheduled to compete.
