Ohio State Track and Field Teams Head to South Bend – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
March 1, 2006
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Columbus, Ohio — The Ohio State men’s and women’s track and field teams will come back together will come back together for the Alex Wilson Invitational. The event will be hosted by Notre Dame and will be held in the Loftus Center.
2006 Alex Wilson Invitational
Day/Time: Friday 5 p.m.-8:15 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m.- 2:50 p.m.
Venue: The Loftus Center
Teams: Over 100 teams will be competing
Meet Information: und.com
Live Stats: tractimetiming.com
Buckeyes Receive Honors
The Big Ten announced its 2006 Men’s and Women’s Track and Field All-League Teams Wednesday. Ohio State’s Lenny Jatsek and Jessica Stringer each were named to the first team after claiming league titles in the men’s weight throw and the women’s high jump, respectively, last weekend. Both the Buckeye men’s and women’s teams finished sixth at their respective conference meets at Iowa and Wisconsin.
Stringer posted the second-best high jump mark in Ohio State history en route to winning her second consecutive conference championship in the event. The native of Franklin, Ind., cleared 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches to claim victory Sunday at Wisconsin. She won the 2005 Big Ten Outdoor High Jump Championship at home last season in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Jatsek became the third Ohio State student-athlete to win the weight in the last four seasons. Former Buckeye All-American Dan Taylor won the league title in 2003 and `04. Bryan Duby took first place in the event last season. This year, Jatsek’s heave of 68-2 1/4 topped the conference field.
The men’s distance medley team of Taylor Candella, Gerald Griffin, Joe Gourley and Jeff See also combined to claim first-team honors after winning the event Saturday. The group shattered the former Ohio State record of 9:51.05 set in 1995, cruising to the finish line in 9:47.78.
Also for the men, two-time All-American Brian Olinger was a second-team honoree in the 5,000 meters. OSU throwers also grabbed second team honors for the women. Senior and two-time All-American Keturah Lofton was runner-up in the weight at 69-5 1/4, while freshman Janine Zylinski also took second in the shot put at a career-best 52-1 1/4. e
Women’s Relay Sets School Record in Consecutive Meets
At the 2006 Iowa State Classic (Feb.10-11), the women’s 4×400-meter relay team topped the Ohio State record for the second consecutive week. After posting a time of 3:41 last week at the New Balance Invite in New York City, the Buckeyes raced to a third-place time of 3:39.95, which provisionally qualified the team for the national meet. In both record-setting performances, Ohio State freshman Chandra Krempel handled the lead leg and passed the baton off to Jenna Harris and Jessica Jones for the middle legs. Freshman Ayrizanna Favours anchored the team to the record-setting times that bested the 3:42.09 mark set Feb. 21, 1999 on a relay squad led by All-American Dominique Calloway (1998-99).
Olinger at it Again
At the Husky Invitational (Feb.10-11), senior Brian Olinger made Ohio State history in the 5,000-meter run with his time of 13:45.94. Olinger’s time shattered his Ohio State record in the 5,000m of 13:52.18 set March 4, 2005. Olinger’s time also served as an automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA indoor Championships next month. Olinger was an All-American in the 5K in 2005.
Olinger ran his first 3,000-meter run of the season in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational (Feb. 3-4). Even with a mild case of the flu, Olinger still rewrote the Ohio State record books with his time of 8:02.21, a mark that ranked fourth in Buckeye history. Olinger now holds the second and fourth best times in Ohio State indoor history in the 3,000m. Olinger still is after the record for the best 3,000m which is currently held by Ohio State distance coach Robert Gary.
“SEE”ing is Believing
Freshman Jeff See ran his first mile of the season at the 2006 New Balance Collegiate Invitational. See did not disappoint, he came in fourth with a time of 4:03.75, a mark good enough to provisionally qualify him for the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championships. See, the 2005 high school national champion in the mile, then topped this mark the following week at the Husky Invitational. See ran the third-best mile time in Ohio State history. See’s time of 4:03.62 ranks third in Ohio State indoor history and the fastest time ever by a freshman. See’s time also provisionally qualified for the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Recapping the 2006 Big Ten Indoor Championships Saturday Feb. 25, 2006-The Ohio State women’s team is in sixth place with 17 points and then men’s team is tied for seventh with 16 points after the opening day of the 2006 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships. The women’s championships are being held in Madison, Wis., and the men’s are taking place in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Buckeye men’s distance medley relay finished first with an OSU record time of 9:47.78. Ohio State surpassed its previous record of 9:51.05. The time also provisionally qualified the team for the NCAA Indoor championships. The women’s team also set a school record in the distance medley relay with a time of 11:47.99 to finish sixth in the event. The time broke the former record of 11:58.70.
On the track for the women, junior Jenna Harris (Somerset, N.J.), the defending Big Ten champion in the 60-meter dash, and freshman Ayrizanna Favours (Columbus, Ohio) advanced to the Sunday final in both the 60-meter and 200-meter meter dashes. Harris won her 60-meter heat in the semifinals with a time of 7.51 and came in second in her heat in the preliminary 200-meters with a time of 24.53. Favours won her heat in the 200-meters with a time of 24.44 and finished fourth in her heat in the 60-meters with a mark of 7.62.
In the field events, freshman Janine Zylinski (Elburn, Ill.) took second place in the shot put with a provisional qualifying throw of 52-1 1/4. Veronica Jatsek (Cleveland, Ohio) took fourth place in the event with a season-best toss of 51-1/2. Also scoring points for the Buckeyes in the shot put was senior Keturah Lofton (Zanesville, Ohio) with a mark of 46-7 1/4 to place eighth.
For the men, defending Big Ten 60-meter dash champion Tony Cole (Columbia, Md.) took second in his heat and third in his semifinal heat with a time of 6.82 in the event to qualify for the final Sunday. He will be joined by senior Todd Dutch (Turnersville, N.J.), who finished just behind Cole in the semifinal heat with a time of 6.84. Dutch also will be in the final of the 200-meter dash Sunday after posting a time of 21.81 and winning the heat.
Senior Joe Gourley (Uniontown, Ohio) took third in his heat of the 800-meter run with a time of 1:52.27 to qualify for the Sunday final. Fellow senior Brian Olinger (Fresno, Ohio) took sixth in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:06.98. In the field events, the Buckeyes received points from sophomore Lenny Jatsek (Walton Hills, Ohio) who finished eighth with a throw of 55-3 3/4.
Sunday Feb. 26, 2006-The men totaled 64 points at their championships held in Iowa City, Iowa, while the women had 62 points in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin won the men’s title with 124.5 points and Michigan took the women’s crown with 127.67 points.
Sophomore Lenny Jatsek (Walton Hills, Ohio) became an individual Big Ten champion when he won the weight throw event with a throw of 68-2 1/4. The toss was Jatsek’s best of the season and provisionally qualified him for the NCAA indoor championships. The mark also was the fourth-best toss in Ohio State history. Junior Dave Ebersole (Cleveland, Ohio) finished eighth with his throw of 57-8 ½, followed by sophomore Zach Carr (Smithville, Ohio) in ninth at 57-2.
Jessica Stringer posted the second-best high jump mark in Ohio State history en route to winning her second consecutive conference championship in the event. The native of Franklin, Ind., cleared 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches to claim victory Sunday at Wisconsin. She won the 2005 Big Ten Outdoor High Jump Championship at home last season in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
In the women’s weight throw, senior Keturah Lofton (Zanesville, Ohio) recorded the longest weight throw in Ohio State history with her toss of 69-5 1/4 to finish second. Fellow Buckeye Veronica Jatsek (Cleveland, Ohio) placed fifth in the event with her mark of 60-4 1/2.
Freshman Ayrizanna Favours (Columbus, Ohio) took fourth in 60-meter dash with a time of 7.48, followed by junior Jenna Harris (Somerset, N.J.) who took sixth in the event with a time of 7.48. Favours and Harris again placed fourth (24.25) and sixth (24.56), respectfully, in the 200-meter dash. The women’s 4×400 team came in fourth with a time of 3:45.44.
On track for the men, sophomore Tony Cole (Columbia, Md.) came in third in the 60-meter dash with his time of 6.82. Senior Todd Dutch (Turnersville, N.J.) followed in sixth place at 6.87. Senior Joe Gourley (Uniontown, Ohio) took fifth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:52.34. In the distance events, fellow senior Brian Olinger came in second in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 13:57.18 and placed fourth in the 3,000-meters at 8:06.98. The Buckeyes clocked in at 3:17.29 to finish fifth in the 4×400.
The Buckeyes men’s and women’s teams will next travel to South Bend, Ind., for the Alex Wilson Last Chance Meet March 3-4.
Revisting the 2005 Alex Wilson Last Chance Meet
Friday, March 4, 2005-Members of the Ohio State track and field team opened competition at the 2005 Alex Wilson Invitational Friday in South Bend, Ind. The two-day event hosted by the University of Notre Dame serves as a last chance meet for athletes to improve upon their season marks in order to qualify for the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Highlighting the day for the Buckeyes was junior Brian Olinger (Fresno, Ohio/Ridgewood) as he broke the school record in the 5,000-meter run, which he set earlier this season while competing at the Iowa State Invitational in Ames, Iowa. Olinger improved his season-best mark in the event as he clocked a time of 13:52.18 to finish second. With his time in the event, the Fresno, Ohio native earned an automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Also competing Friday evening for the Buckeyes was senior Bryan Duby (Silver Lake, Ohio/Archbishop Alter). Duby, who competed in the men’s weight throw, equaled his season-best mark in the event with a toss of 68 feet, 2 1/2 inches (68-2 1/2) to finish second.
Additionally for the Buckeyes senior Shelaine Larson (Ventura, Calif./Buena) competed in the weight throw and finished second with a NCAA provisional mark of 66-1 1/4. Larson also will compete in the shot put tomorrow at 11 a.m.
Saturday March 5, 2005-Members of the Ohio State track and field team concluded competition at the 2005 Alex Wilson Invitational Saturday in South Bend, Ind. The two-day event hosted by the University of Notre Dame, served as a last chance meet for athletes to improve upon their season marks in order to qualify for the 2005 NCAA Championships.
Leading the way for the Buckeyes was sophomore sprinter Jenna Harris (Somerset, Md./Franklin) as she timed a mark of 7.48 to place second in the women’s 60-meter dash. On the men’s side freshman Tony Cole (Columbia, Md./Oakland Mills) clocked a time of 6.74 to finish third in the 60m.
Favours Lands First Career Big Ten Athlete of the Week Award on Feb. 21
Ayrizanna Favours, a freshman sprinter on the Ohio State women’s track and field team, was named Athlete of the Week in an announcement made by the Big Ten Feb. 21. Saturday Feb. 18 at the Scarlet and Gray Invitational, Favours timed winning marks in both the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes.
The native of Columbus and product of Eastmoor Academy capped her first indoor regular season with a career-best time of 6.92 to claim the 55m event. Later, she notched a provisional qualifying standard in the 200-meter dash, winning in another career-best time of 24.2.
The weekly league award is Favour’s first of her career. Sophomore thrower Lenny Jatsek claimed the weekly honor for the men’s team Jan. 24. Favours is Ohio State’s first female athlete of the week since Shelaine Larson earned the indoor award on Feb. 22, 2005.
The Ohio State men’s and women’s teams split up for the Big Ten championship meets Saturday and Sunday. The men head to Iowa and the women compete at Wisconsin. Favours heads to the league meet with the third-best 60m and sixth-fastest 200m times in the conference.
Jatsek Scores Big Ten Male Athlete of the Week of Jan. 25
Sophomore thrower Lenny Jatsek was named Athlete of the Week in an announcement made by the Big Ten Jan. 25. At the Indiana Invitational, Jatsek won the men’s weight throw event and placed fourth in the shot put.
With his winning weight mark of 65 feet, 9 ½ inches Saturday, Jatsek provisionally qualified for the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championships and posted the league’s second-best mark in the event this season. Jatsek’s weight figure also moved him into the Top 5 in Ohio State’s all-time indoor performance list in the weight. Later Saturday, Jatsek added a fourth-place score in the shot put with a toss of 51-11.
Jatsek’s weekly honor contributes to Ohio State’s impressive run of Big Ten weekly honorees in the throws events. During the last three indoor seasons and last two outdoor campaigns, Buckeye men’s and women’s throwers have combined to win 14 conference athlete of the week awards.
Harris Does it Again
Junior Jenna Harris looked to follow up a strong 2005 showing in New York when she captured second place in the collegiate 60-meter dash at the Millrose Games in Madison Square Garden. She started by winning Heat 4 of the 60m in a season-best time of 7.42, which qualified for her second straight appearance in the Millrose 60m. Later in MSG, Harris placed sixth in the collegiate section in 7.54.
Lofton Makes Triumphant Return
After missing all of last season, senior thrower Keturah Lofton has made a triumphant return to competition. The former Big Ten champion and two-time All-American won the weight throw at Kentucky and was runner-up at Indiana.
At the Kentucky Invite, Lofton tossed a provisional qualifier for the NCAA indoor championships, reaching a distance of 67-2 1/4. Her toss at Kentucky is also the second best toss in the Big Ten so far this season.
At Akron on Feb. 4, Lofton took the top spot in the weight throw for her third weight win this season.
Up Next
The qualifing student-athletes from the men’s and women’s teams will head to the NCAA championshiops in Fayetteville, Ark.
