Track and Field Makes First Trip to West Virginia – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
April 6, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio–This week the Buckeyes travel to West Virginia for the Wheeling Jesuit Invitational Saturday, April 7 at James LaRosa Athletic Complex. Field events are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., with the men’s and women’s hammer throw and running events beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The Buckeyes will be competing against a field of eight schools: California University of Pennsylvania, Alderson-Broaddus College, West Liberty State College, St. Vincent Track Club, Washington and Jefferson College, West Virginia University, University of Charleston and Wheeling Jesuit University.
Buckeyes Make Debut in West Virginia
Ohio State track and field makes its first trip to Wheeling, W.Va., Saturday to compete in the Wheeling Jesuit Invitational. This marks the third year WJU has hosted the event.
Scouting Report
The Buckeyes will face several All-America competitors in the meet this week. The throwers on the men’s side will be up against All-American and WVIAC Athlete of the Year Robert Hardin of West Virginia Wesleyan. Wheeling Jesuit will depend on senior All-American Brandon Rouchion in the 110-meter high hurdles and sophomore All-American Hong Yong Bi in the high jump. In the 5,000-meter run, Ian Connor will be tested by sophomore Ricky Moore from West Virginia Wesleyan.
Heather Bury, currently ranked eighth in women’s steeplechase and running unattached, also will compete Saturday. Wheeling Jesuit senior Amanda Davidson intends to challenge the Buckeyes in the 400-meter hurdles.
Recap from Season Opener
The track and field teams began their outdoor season March 22-24 at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Arizona. Andrew Pierce picked up where he left off in the outdoor season with a winning performance in the 400-meter dash at the Baldy Castillo Invitational. Pierce recorded a first-place finish with a provisional time of 45.81. Ian Connor kept up his stride to notch a first-place finish in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:22.83. In addition, Derrick Butler ran a time of 14.25.27 for a third-place finish. Jeff Matcha began the outdoor season with a first-place provisional qualifying mark of 17.81m in the shot put. Competing in his first outdoor season for the Buckeyes, Dan Taylor earned a ninth-place finish with his mark of 15.82m. Several Buckeyes were able to obtain provisional qualifying marks in their respective events. Onica Fraser had a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a provisional time of 53.65. Tami Smith obtained a fourth-place finish in the high jump with a provisional mark of 1.80m. In the hammer throw, Katy Craig received a second-place finish with a provisional mark of 57.60m.
The women’s relay team earned two Top 5 finishes. The 4×100 meter relay team placed fourth with a time of 45.92. The distance medley team placed fifth with a time of 12:33.90. The men’s 4×400 meter relay team placed third with a time of 3:08.39. The 4×100 meter relay team placed seventh with a time of 41.32.
The Buckeyes displayed strong finishes in several other events. Tina Johnson finished eighth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 56.35 and placed 10th in the long jump with a mark of 5.73m. Brooke Patterson placed eighth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:13.30. Kati Stevens earned a fourth-place finish in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:08.21. Dalanda Jackson placed sixth in the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.02 and earned a fourth place finish in the 400-meter int. hurdles with a time of 1:00.6. Alexis McCall earned a fifith-place finish in the shot put with a mark of 14.47m.
For the men, Thomas Dickson placed 10th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.77. Joel Brown placed eighth in the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.49. Courtney Cornwall finished seventh in the 400-meter int. hurdles with a time of 52.0. J.J. O’Rielly placed third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In the high jump, Jeff Cerveny earned a sixth- place finish with a mark of 2.10m. Drew Carter and Nosa Ehimwenman earned second and eighth-placed finishes respectively in the long jump with marks of 7.34m and 7.02m. Ehimwenman also placed fourth in the triple jump with a mark of 14.51m. Justin Cayinee and Andrew Saurer earned second and fifth place marks respectively in the hammer throw with marks of 56.26m and 53.88m. George Hoover placed seventh in the javelin throw with a mark of 62.26m.
Meet The Coach
In his 13 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 champions in both indoor and outdoor events. Rogers was chosen as the head coach of the national team that particpated 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. Rogers came to Ohio State from Farleigh 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.
Looking Ahead
Ohio State track and field travels to the University of Tennessee Thursday, April 12 to compete in the Sea Ray Invitational held at the Tom Black Track.
