Track and Field Will Play Host to OSU Invitational – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Jan. 30, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio-The Ohio State track and field teams return to action at 11 a.m. Saturday at French Field House for the OSU Invitational. The Buckeye men will play host to: Toledo, Kentucky State, Ohio, Morehouse, Eastern Michigan, Purdue, Central State and Bucknell. The women’s team also will compete against eight teams: Toledo, Kentucky State, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Purdue, Central State, Dayton and Bucknell.
Myers on a Roll
Rob Myers (Jr., Rushville, Ohio/Fairfield Union) has been a roll lately in the 1-mile run. In the past two meets, he has placed first, including a meet record at the Minnesota Gold Country Classic with a time of 4:03.70. His time at Minnesota is a career best and is second all-time in Ohio State history.
Men Set Two Meet Records
Along with Rob Myers’ meet record at the Minnesota Gold Country Classic, junior Joel Brown set a meet record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02 seconds. That time beats his previous career high by one-hundredth of a second (8.03) which he set last season.
Craig Sets Ohio State Record
Co-captain Katy Craig (Sr., Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) set an Ohio State indoor record in the weight throw at the Jan. 12 OSU Collegiate Duals. She threw for a distance of 68-03.75. Her previous best was last season at the NCAA Championships when she threw 64-11.25.
Owens and Hightower Named to The All-Century Team
Track legend Jesse Owens was named the Ohio State male athlete of the century by the Columbus Touchdown Club. Owens’ legend at Ohio State blossomed, thanks to such feats as setting three world records – in the long jump, 220-yard dash and 220-yard hurdles – within a 70-minute span at the 1935 Big Ten track championships. But he became a household name at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where he won four gold medals. Stephanie Hightower was named women’s track and field athlete of the century. She was a three-time (1978-80) All-American in the hurdles Last Week-Minnesota Gold Country Classic
The Ohio State men’s and women’s track and field teams fared well at the Minnesota Gold Country Classic Saturday, Jan. 26, at University Fieldhouse in Minneapolis, Minn. The men’s side had no team scores, while the women’s team captured first place with 130 points, four ahead of host Minnesota (126). The men’s team garnered four first-place finishes. Dan Taylor (So., Middlefield, Ohio/Berkshire) guided the Buckeyes with a first-place finish in the shot put (58-11.25) and a second-place finish in the weight throw (61-0). Rob Myers (Jr., Rushville, Ohio/Fairfield Union) added a first-place finish in the 1-mile run (4:03.70), a meet record and career best. Joel Brown (Jr., Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) also set a meet record and a career best by topping the field in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02 seconds. Brad Hart (So., Centerburg, Ohio/Highland) earned first place in the high jump (7-0.5 m).
The women took home seven first-place finishes. Katy Craig (Sr., Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) and Alexis McCall (So., Elyria, Ohio/Elyria) guided the Buckeyes with first place finishes in the weight throw (61-1.25) and shot put (51-9), respectively. McCall also garnered second place in the weight throw with a distance of 55-3.5. Tina Johnson (Sr., Burlington, N.J./Burlington Regional) topped the field in the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.17 seconds. Dalanda Jackson (So., Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) got back on top with a first-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles (8.37). Shayla Moore (Fr., Jessup, Md./Long Beach) garnered first place in the triple jump (38-0). Teammate Tami Smith (Jr., Galloway, Ohio/Westland) earned her third first-place finish of the season in the high jump with a height of 5-10.
Newcomers Add Depth
Ohio State added 12 key freshman to the roster this season. Robin Detty (Indianpolis, Ind., Lawrence North), Aaron Fisher (Indianpolis, Ind., Franklin Central), Daniel Glaz (Palos Hills, Ill., A.A. Stagg), Rosalind Godwin(Prospect, Ky., Louisville Ballard), Zakiya Harris (Canton, Ohio, Massillon Perry), Alicia Kuhn (Galion, Ohio, Colonel Crawford), Jacob McCauley (Enon, Ohio, Greenon), Shayla Moore (Jessup, Md., Long Beach), Greg Norman (Amherst, Ohio, Amherst Steele), Brian Olinger (Fresno, Ohio, Ridgewood), Matt Penza (Girard, Ohio, Girard) and Stephanie Ray (Sylvania, Ohio, Sylvania) will add depth to the team.
High Hopes for 2002
After a strong finish to last season, the indoor track squad is looking to return atop the Big Ten standings.
“I am really optimistic about our chance to equal, if not better, our performances of last season,” Russ Rogers, OSU track and field coach, said. “If we can stay healthy and aim to raise some performances that came out of last year’s championships, we can make a legitimate run for a top-three finish.”
Meet Coach Rogers
In his 14 years at Ohio State, Russ Rogers has produced more than 100 Big Ten indoor and outdoor track and field champions, 10 NCAA indoor and outdoor champions and 69 All-Americans. His 1993 teams alone produced 16 All-Americans and 12 Big Ten champions in both indoor and outdoor events. 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.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will travel to New York City for the New York Invitational Feb. 8 and 9.
