Ohio State Track and Field Wraps Up Regular Season – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 6, 2003
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Following an outstanding weekend serving as host to the 18th annual Jesse Owens Track Classic, the Ohio State track and field teams will travel to the University of Akron Saturday to close out the 2003 regular season with the Campbell/ Wright Open.
THE CAMPBELL/ WRIGHT OPEN
Main Information: www.gozips.com
Where: Lee Jackson Field; Akron, Ohio
When: All Day
JESSE OWENS CLASSIC NOTABLES
Taylor Tops Own Marks for Sixth-Straight Week
Ohio State thrower Dan Taylor used both days of the 2003 Jesse Owens Track and Field Classic to eclipse two of his own OSU program records as he set a school mark in the hammer throw Friday with a 211-4 second place effort and followed that performance Saturday with a 67-0.75 Jesse Owens Stadium mark to claim first place in the men’s shot put. Taylor later added a title in the men’s discus (177-7).
Buckeye Men Score Victory in Exciting 4×100
Also headlining the 18th annual meet was the Ohio State men’s 4×100-meter relay squad who claimed first in a spectacular race as anchor Joel Brown (Woodlawn, Md.) edged Central Michigan’s Dana Thomas by just .02 in a photo finish. Sophomore Greg Norman (Amherst, Ohio) ran the lead leg, while Drew Carter (Solon, Ohio) and Michael Jenkins (Tampa, Fla.), wide receivers on the OSU football team fresh from spring drills, ran the middle legs as the squad posted a season-best 41.24 in the event. Other Notables at the Jesse Owens Classic
Brown carried the Ohio State momentum into the 110-meter hurdles as he scored another photo finish with a 13.98 leaning past Ricardo Melbourne of Central State. Fellow senior Molly Logan (Darby, Pa.) also took first in the 100-meter hurdles as she scored a first place 13.42, while Buckeye junior Brandi Hogan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) fell just behind her teammate with a 13.65 to claim third. Each member of the trio scored a regional qualifier in the event.
In the jump events, senior Tami Smith (Galloway, Ohio) scored a second place finish with a leap of 5-7 in the women’s high jump, while junior Billy Mills (Copley, Ohio) took second on the men’s side with a mark of 6-7.50. Sophomore Shayla Moore earned third in the women’s long jump with a leap of 18-2.25.
Ohio State took the top two spots in the women’s discus as senior Krista Keir (Westerville, Ohio) edged freshman Amarachi Ukabam (Creve Couer, Mo.) with a 168-0, while Ukabam heaved a 167-2. Both serve as regional qualifiers. Keir also qualified in the women’s shot put (50-4.50).
CARTER AND JENKINS A WELCOME RETURN
The Jesse Owens Track Classic marked the welcome return of two speedy wide receivers from the OSU football team. Juniors Drew Carter and Michael Jenkins, competing in their first event since joining the football team for spring drills, helped lead Ohio State to an exhilarating photo finish victory in the men’s 4×100-meter relay.
Carter ran the second leg of the event and passed the baton to Jenkins who carried to anchorman Joel Brown, who edged Central Michigan and Team USA at the finish line in a season best 41.24.
ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER RECORD FALLS
An Ohio State program record has fallen in each of the seven events this outdoor season as Keir kicked off 2003 with a 186-1 to best her previous OSU mark of 182-4 in the discus at the season-opening Baldy Castillo Classic.
Since Keir’s effort, Taylor has gone on a six-week tear where he has set an OSU standard in the throw events at each meet. Taylor’s first mark came at the Arizona State Invite when he scored a 204-10 to win the hammer. A week later Taylor topped his own mark in the hammer at the Ohio State Relays and coupled that performance with a record-setter in the discus as well (187-4).
Taylor more recently eclipsed his record in the hammer for a fourth time this season to win the Penn Relays Men’s Collegiate Hammer Throw Championship of America with a 209-8. Sandwiched between his OSU outdoor marks was a Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium record effort of 65-6.25 in the shot put at the All-Ohio Championships.
At the Jesse Owens Track Classic, Taylor moved past his own stadium record in the shot put and his OSU mark in the hammer.
GARY, CROGHAN HIGHLIGHT JESSE OWENS DISTANCE CARNIVAL
In the Jesse Owens distance carnival, former OSU star and Olympian Mark Croghan bested the field in the 3,000-meter steeplechase narrowly missing the Jesse Owens Classic record with an 8:39.34. The steeplechase also saw marked success for three current Buckeyes as Sjaan Gerth scored a season-best 8:53.68 to take second, while Aaron Fisher placed third with another season-mark of 8:56.72. Brian Olinger rounded out the OSU effort taking 10th with a 9:10.74. Olinger scored the third Ohio State season-best of the event.
Another former Olympian and Buckeye great Robert Gary, who serves as the Ohio State distance coach, ran in the men’s 5,000-meters, but dropped out midway through the race to coach his competitors. Tim Broe, also an Adidas team member, finished the event in a Jesse Owens Stadium record 13:41.00. OSU senior distance runner Derek Butler claimed second behind Broe as he regionally qualified for his second event with a 14:21.92.
TAYLOR SECOND PLACE? NOT LIKELY
With the two titles in the discus and shot put at the Jesse Owens Classic, Taylor has claimed first place in 10 of his last 12 throw events. In all, Taylor posted first place in 12 of 14 indoor events and has topped the field in 10 of 13 throws this season.
NUMEROUS RECORDS FALL AT 2003 JESSE OWENS CLASSIC
Outside of Dan Taylor’s sixth-straight week of shattering an OSU standard, other records fell by the wayside at the 18th running of the Jesse Owens Track Classic. Included in the list was a mark set in the women’s hammer throw as unattached competitor Tara Loper eclipsed the previous mark of 207-10 with a 215-4 to claim the title.
Friday night’s competition featured several other marks as Colleen Scott, who competed in the classic unattached, set a stadium and event record in the women’s triple jump with a leap of 44-0.50, while Damond Campbell of Tennessee scored an event record on the men’s side with a 52.75.
Setting records in Saturday’s finals were Penn State sprinter Consuella Moore, who won the women’s 200-meter dash with a wind aided (4.6) 23.29, also in the men’s 200 meters LeShaunte Edwards established a Jesse Owens Stadium record with a 20.71.
In addition, Tim Broe, an Adidas team member, continued on to finish the 5,000-meter run in a Jesse Owens Stadium record 13:41.00. The venue mark also fell in the women’s 5,000-meter run as Sarah Vergote of Toledo posted a 16:55.15 to pace the field.
TAYLOR MAKES IT HALF A DOZEN
With his pair of first place efforts at the Penn Relays, Taylor was deemed Big Ten Athlete of the Week for the sixth time this season and third this month.
A previous winner three times during the indoor campaign, Taylor matched that total in the outdoor season as he was named the April 29 honoree following yet another record-setting performance.
Taylor now has collected six Big Ten Athlete of the Week merits thus far in 2003 coming Jan. 14, Jan. 22, Feb. 11, April 1, April 15 and Tuesday’s honor.
OLINGER EARNS OHIO STATE’S 29TH QUALIFYING BID TO NCAA REGIONAL COMPETITION
Through six events of the 2003 outdoor season, 29 Ohio State student-athletes have posted NCAA regional qualifying marks as the latest Buckeye, Brian Olinger, scored a regional qualifying 9:10.74 in the men’s steeplechase at the Jesse Owens Track and Field Classic.
Others included in the list are 2002 Indoor All-Americans Dalanda Jackson (400-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles), Tami Smith (high jump) and three-time qualifier George Hoover (javelin).
Seven Buckeyes have qualified in multiple events as Dan Taylor and Amarachi Ukabam have posted qualifiers in the shot put, discus and hammer throw, respectively.
In all, the throwers lead the way with an impressive 14 qualifying scores, while the jumpers have added seven of their own.
The most recent Buckeyes to join the list are throwers Bryan Duby and Rusty Azbel, both in the hammer, and hurdler Molly Logan, who has now qualified in two events with her 1:01.36 in the 400-meter hurdles, which joins her 100-meter hurdle time of 13.39 as a regional qualifier.
Distance runner Derrick Butler became the seventh multiple qualifier with his 14:21.92 in the 5,000-meter run at the Jesse Owens.
SEVEN SCORE SEASON OR CAREER BESTS AT PENN RELAYS
The Penn Relays showcased several Buckeye personal and season-best efforts. Included in the group were Tami Smith, who equaled her 2003 mark of 5-8.75 to place fourth in the high jump, while Joel Brown clocked a career-low 13.76 in both the prelims and finals of the 110-meter hurdles to take fourth overall.
Freshman Amarachi Ukabam established career-highs in both the hammer and shot put as her 178-3 in the hammer earned a third place standing in the Women’s Championship of America.
Dalanda Jackson (1:01.14 – 400m hurdles), Rusty Azbell (183-3 – hammer) and Erin Carter (50-9.50 – shot put) all set career-bests, while junior Alexis McCall heaved a season-best 50-6.25.
TAYLOR SINKS TEETH INTO TRACKSHARK.COM WEEKLY AWARD
Dan Taylor, who was named both Male Track Athlete of the Penn Relays and Big Ten Athlete of the Week was named Athlete of the Week by trackshark.com for his performance at the Penn Relays.
In all, Taylor has reaped six Big Ten weekly awards, one USTA honor and two Male Athlete of the Tournament honors.
HAPPY RETURNS
The Baldy Castillo Invitational March 21 and 22 marked the returns of a pair of Ohio State All-American performers in senior Dalanda Jackson and junior George Hoover.
Hoover, the 2000 and 2001 conference champion in the javelin, posted a 209-4 in his first collegiate event since the 2001 NCAA championships at the Baldy Castillo and topped that effort with a 211-11 to lead the field at the Arizona State Invitational.
Jackson, an All-American in 2002, captured first place in either the 100-meter hurdles or the 400m hurdles in each of the first three weeks of competition. Her 101:38 effort in the 400-meter hurdles at the ASU Invite serves as a regional qualifier, as did her 13.76 in the 100-meter hurdles prelims at the Pacesetter Invite.
UKABAM HONORED BY BIG TEN
Ohio State freshman thrower Amarachi Ukabam was deemed Big Ten Athlete of the Week April 8 after claiming first place in both the women’s shot put and the hammer throw Saturday at the 2003 Ohio State Relays.
Ukabam scored a career-best 49-7 to win the women’s shot put adding her second regional qualifying mark in the event this season, while also claiming first in the women’s discus with another regional mark of 159-6.
Ukabam, who posted a team and personal-best 169-7 in the hammer at the Arizona State Invitational, joins fellow thrower Dan Taylor and hurdlers Joel Brown and Molly Logan as Big Ten honorees for the 2003 indoor and outdoor seasons.
ASSISTANT COACH ROBERT GARY PLACES AT U.S. 8K
Ohio State cross country head coach Robert Gary (Ohio State, 1996) finished 11th at the 2003 United States 8K Championships Saturday in New York City’s Central Park.
Running against one of the strongest and deepest fields put together for a USA national championship, Gray clocked 23:09 in wet conditions over the rolling 4.97-mile course. Olympian and pre race favorite Meb Keflezighi missed the course record by two seconds to win in 22:28.
Former Ohio State distance great and Olympian Mark Croghan, Gary’s training partner, finished 17th posting a mark of 23:16.
TRIPLE PLAY: TAYLOR, UKABAM QUALIFY FOR THREE NCAA EVENTS
Following the All-Ohio Championships both junior Dan Taylor and freshman Amarachi Ukabam have regionally qualified in three throw events. Each has earned bids to compete in the NCAA regional meet held at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium May 30 and 31.
Joining Taylor and Ukabam as multiple-event qualifiers are seniors Joel Brown, Dalanda Jackson and Krista Keir, Molly Logan and junior Alexis McCall. Both Keir and McCall have qualified in the shot put and discus events, while Brown and Jackson have earned bids in the 110 and 100-meter hurdles, respectively. Jackson adds a second hurdles event in the 400m. Brown earned a bid in the 200-meter dash with a 21.20 at the All-Ohio Championships and followed that with a 21.07 at the Pacesetter.
TAYLOR EARNS USTA WEEKLY AWARD
Dan Taylor was named as the United States Track and Field Coaches Association Athlete of the Week for March 6. Taylor earned the honor with a Big Ten record-setting performance to win the conference weight throw title, which he combined with a first place finish in the shot put.
FORMER STANDOUT HIGHTOWER NAMED TO U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM STAFF
Former Olympian Stephanie Hightower of Columbus, Ohio, has been named to Team USA women’s staff for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Hightower, who ran at Ohio State from 1977-1980 will serve as the squad’s head manager, working with women’s head coach Sue Humphrey.
Hightower currently serves with Women’s USA Track and Field and previously worked as an assistant manager for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and head manager for the 1999 World Championship Team in Seville, Spain.
NEXT UP
Ohio State will compete for the 2003 Big Ten Championships at the University of Minnesota Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18.
