Men’s Track and Field Heads to Kent State for a Dual with the Golden Flashes – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Jan. 19, 2007
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State heads to Kent State University for a Dual meet with Kent State. The meet will be Friday inside Kent State Field house.
KENT STATE DUAL
Days: Friday 6 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.
Venue: Kent State Field House
Meet Information: kentstatesports.com
LAST WEEK: KENTUCKY INVITATIONAL
Friday – With a win in the weight throw competition (63-8 ¼), junior Lenny Jatsek led the Ohio State men’s track and field team in its season-opening meet Jan. 12 at the Kentucky Invitational at Nutter Field House in Lexington, Ky.
Hosted by the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Invitational will resume at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Nutter Field House.
Also in the weight throw, junior Dave Ebersole finished third with a toss of 62-5 1/4. Ebersole later added a second place finish in the shot put with a NCAA provisional mark of 59-5 3/4. Sophomore Zack Carr also placed in the weight throw, earning a sixth-place finish with a toss of 57-0. In the triple jump, sophomore Brandon Cathcart was fourth with a leap of 49-11.
In the high jump, junior Patrick Woods came in fourth with a jump of 6-7 1/2 and was followed by junior Marios Iacovou, who came in seventh with a leap of 6-5 1/2. Senior Scott Hudepoul made it in the Top 10 with a 10th-place finish with a mark of 6 -3 1/2.
Saturday – The Ohio State men’s track and field team finished the second day of action at the Kentucky Invitational Jan. 13 at Nutter Field House in Lexington, Ky., with a solid team effort. Sophomore Jeff See finished second in the 3,000-meter run in a time of 8:12.85.
See was followed by three other Buckeyes who earned Top 10 spots in the 3,000. Freshman Chad Balyo, in his Buckeye track and field debut, took fifth in the 3,000m in a time of 8:15.55. Balyo was followed by junior John Ealy, who finished sixth in a time of 8:23.15. Senior Glenn Collins rounded out Buckeyes in the Top 10 with a 10th-place finish in the 3,000m in a time of 8:33.79.
“I was very pleased with the effort. For our first meet, I thought we put up some really strong marks,” Ohio State head coach Robert Gary said. “I am continuing to be very impressed with how we are becoming much more team-oriented as we continue trying to improve our program.”
In the sprints, junior Tony Cole, the 2005 Indoor Big Ten Freshman of the Year, was eighth in the 200-meters with a time of 21.86. Cole added this to his eighth-place finish in the 60-meter dash earlier in the day in a time of 6.86.
“Lenny Jatsek, winning the weight, Pat Whalen, having a fantastic shot and discus double, our multi guys getting in some solid marks,” Gary said. “Tony Cole’s great 60/200 double as well as the fact he’s healthy, the 3k guys earning a couple personal best’s, Brandon Cathcart’s first jump (49’11), and ending the meet with some 48 second 4×4 splits were among our highlights.”
Also in the distance events, sophomore Elon Simms took sixth in the 800-meter run in a time of 1:53.85. In the mile, sophomore Taylor Candella was fifth with a time of 4:16.55. Candella was followed closely by freshman Mark Weden, who made his Ohio State debut with a mark of 4:19.89 to finish sixth.
In the 400-meter dash, sophomore Adam Wilhelm came in seventh in a time of 49.53. In the 60-meter hurdles, freshman Jon Francois made his Buckeye debut with a 10th-place finish in a time of 8.41. Francois was fourth among attached runners. The men’s 4×400-meter relay team finished fourth in a time of 3:15.08.
COACH ROBERT GARY ON THIS WEEK – KENT STATE DUAL
“I am very much looking forward to the dual meet this weekend. Many coaches and programs don’t run duals, but I am very much a believer in that straight ahead team competition that you get sometimes only at the conference meet,” Gary said.
“I want to make sure we are emphasizing the team goals thoughout the season towards our goal of moving up in the conference.”
2007 OHIO STATE TRACK AND FIELD OUTLOOK
Robert Gary, entering his first season as Ohio State men’s track and field head coach, welcomes back several talented veterans who look to improve on their standing on both the Big Ten and national scale. Lenny Jatsek, a junior, is back after claiming Ohio State’s fourth-consecutive conference crown in the weight throw. He added his first All-America honor in the same event at indoor nationals. Anthony Cole, who was named 2005 Big Ten Indoor Freshman of the Year after winning the league’s 60-meter event, also returns for his junior campaign and is expected to vie for several conference sprint titles. As a specialist in the 400 meters, senior Gerald Griffin will be viewed as a leader in the longer sprint events.
Juniors Marios Iacouvo and John Ealy also will be looked upon for leadership. Each has experienced success at the conference and national levels. Iacouvo was an All-American high jumper as a freshman in 2005. Ealy’s resume extends to cross country, where he was 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and is the Buckeyes’ top 5,000-meter runner heading into the track season.
Several Buckeyes enjoyed solid freshman seasons in 2006 and will seek to improve upon their marks in 2007. Freshman Jeff See helped Ohio State claim the Big Ten title in the distance medley relay last season and should make a run at the Buckeye record in the mile. He currently owns the third-best time in the indoor mile at Ohio State.
Brandon Cathcart and Matt Comer each rated among the best in the league in their events last season. Cathcart should challenge for the triple jump crown after topping the 50-foot mark his first season, while Comer will look to improve upon a runner-up time in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2006 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Cathcart also will contribute to the relay teams. Elon Simms also enters his sophomore season after posting Ohio State’s top times in the 600m and 800m events last year.
Junior Pat Whalen joins Jatsek in the throws area and will vie for the league’s top spot in the shot put. Junior Dave Ebersole has improved each season for the Buckeyes and is expected to score in the weight and hammer at the Big Ten meets.
Scott Hudepohl and Pat Woods return in the multi-events as well. Hudepohl has scored at several Big Ten meets in his career. He also looks to contribute in the long jump.
Gary is excited at the opportunity to guide Ohio State back into a contender’s spot in the Big Ten.
“Being a part of the outstanding track and field tradition at Ohio State is an honor,” Gary said. “We will create a culture for our student-athletes to achieve their academic and athletic goals. I envision a balanced team working toward a Big Ten championship.”
SCHEDULE
Robert Gary begins his first season as Ohio State men’s track and field head coach with challenging indoor and outdoor schedules in 2007. The Buckeyes conclude both the indoor and outdoor campaigns with home meets. The indoor ledger closes with the Buckeye Invitational (Feb. 17) and outdoor season finishes up with the 22nd running of the Jesse Owens Track Classic (May 4-5).
The Buckeyes head south of the Ohio border for Lexington, Ky., and the 2007 Kentucky Invitational Jan. 12-13. Ohio State returns to the Buckeye state the next week as the team travels to Kent, Ohio for the team’s first dual meet of the season with the Kent State Golden Flashes. Former Buckeye and three-time Olympian Mark Croghan is the cross country head coach and track and field assistant coach for the Flashes. Croghan and Gary finished first and second in the steeplechase at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials and were U.S. teammates in Atlanta.
Ohio State ventures into Big Ten territory for the first time Jan. 26-27 at the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., before heading back to Ohio for the Akron Invitational (Feb. 2-3) in Akron, Ohio. The Buckeyes delve into league competition again Feb. 9-10 for the Sykes-Sabock Challenge at Penn State.
Ohio State makes a return trip to Bloomington for the 2007 Big Ten Indoor Championships Feb. 24-25, looking to improve on a sixth-place finish in 2006. Following the last-chance meet at Notre Dame’s Alex Wilson event, Ohio State national qualifiers will vie for All-American honors at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
The outdoor campaign kicks off in Tempe, Ariz. March 23-24 at the Arizona State Invitational. Part of the team will remain in the west the next week (March 30-31) at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., while others will run at the Indiana Relays.
The heart of the Buckeyes’ outdoor slate starts at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., April 13-14. The schedule continues to gain steam as some Buckeyes will travel to one of the elite distance meets in the country in the Oregon Invitational in Eugene, Ore., April 20-21, while others will compete in the All-Ohio Championships in Cincinnati.
For many seasons, Ohio State traveled to Philadelphia to compete in the historic Penn Relays during the final week of April. This season, however, the Buckeyes are headed west to Des Moines, Iowa for the prestigious Drake Relays April 26-28.
“Our indoor and outdoor schedule is competitive and it presents an opportunity for great performances against great fields,” Gary said. “It will prepare us for having a balanced team heading into the Big Ten and NCAA championship meets.”
Just like the indoor schedule, the Buckeyes close out the regular season at home, playing host to the 2007 Jesse Owens Track Classic May 5. Now in its 22nd running, “The Jesse” has welcomed top performers from all levels of track and field for the past two decades.
“I hope to establish the high school events of the Jesse Owens Classic into the most competitive high school meet in the state,” Gary said. “It is a great opportunity for Ohio high school athletes to preview the state meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
“Similarly, my vision for the college and post-collegiate events is become the most elite meet in the Midwest. I have every intention of building the meet up to what is was in the 1980s.”
Ohio State makes its second trip to State College, Pa., for the 2007 Big Ten Outdoor Championships May 11-13. The postseason continues two weeks later (May 25-26) at the 2007 Mideast Regional Championships in Columbia, Mo. Those who advance through regionals will compete at the NCAA outdoor championships June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.
ROBERT GARY NAMED MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD HEAD COACH
Robert Gary was named Ohio State’s seventh men’s track and field head coach in an announcement made by Miechelle Willis, Ohio State’s senior associate athletics director. Men’s cross country head coach at Ohio State since his graduation from OSU in 1996, Gary succeeds Russ Rogers, who retired in June after 19 seasons with the Buckeyes.
“Being named the track and field head coach at my alma mater is almost beyond my dreams,” Gary, who has been named Ohio Cross Country Coach of the Year five of the last six seasons, said. “Being a part of the outstanding track and field tradition at The Ohio State University is truly an honor.
“I will be committed to building a complete track and field team. We will create a culture for our student-athletes to achieve their academic and athletic goals. I envision a balanced team with all the event areas working toward a common goal of a Big Ten championship.”
A two-time Olympian (1996 Atlanta Games and 2004 Athens Games) in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Gary was named 2005 Great Lakes Region Cross Country Coach of the Year last season. He led the men’s cross country squad to a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships, third place in the Great Lakes meet and a No. 11 standing at the 2005 NCAA Championships.
On the track last season, Gary mentored Brian Olinger to his second-consecutive All-American season, upping Gary’s total to 11 All-America awards in men’s distance at Ohio State. Olinger, a senior, also claimed the Big Ten 10,000-meter title, moving Gary’s total to 16 conference distance champions.
The 2004 track and field season could possibly serve as Gary’s best campaign thus far as a pair of Buckeyes scored Top 4 finishes in their respective events at the NCAA championships. Rob Myers (2001-04) took fourth in the men’s 1,500-meter run before placing third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in a career-best time of 3:38.93. In addition, Aaron Fisher (2002-05) clocked a fourth-place time in the men’s steeple at the NCAA championships, ahead of Olinger, who turned in a Top 20 performance
In 2005, Fisher again claimed All-America honors in the steeple, while Olinger nabbed his first All-America award in the indoor 5,000m. Olinger also posted some of his top times in the steeple in 2005, highlighted by a fourth-place finish and career-best 8:28.44 at the USA Nationals and an 8:19.56 at an international meet in Belgium. The 8:19.56 mark ranks second all-time in the American collegiate ranks. Only Ohio State’s Mark Croghan (1988-91), a two-time NCAA champion in the steeple, has a better mark as a collegiate student-athlete.
Gary also guided Ian Connor (1998-2001) to four Big Ten crowns and two All-America honors in the indoor 5,000 meters and steeplechase.
Connor, Olinger and Myers all hail from Ohio. Gary intends to continue to recruit in-state prospects and extend his success in the distance area to all events.
“I am very excited to begin staffing, so we can begin recruiting as soon as possible,” Gary, who retired from competitive running in 2006, said. “I am dedicated to building a similar `recruiting wall’ around the state of Ohio that our cross country program has been able to do. Some of the greatest track and field recruits in the country are from Ohio and I look forward to this great challenge.”
As a student-athlete at Ohio State, Gary was a four-time All-American and Big Ten champion. In 2004, he became the fifth former Buckeye to gain a bid to two separate U.S. Olympic teams by placing third in the men’s steeplechase at the Olympic Trials with a career-best 8:19.46. His third-place finish gained an automatic bid on the U.S. team headed to the Athens Games.
Gary also earned accolades in cross country, winning the 2004 Track and Field News Cross Country Runner of the Year award. Gary qualified for the U.S. team for the second straight season in both the 4- and 12-kilometer events. He finished as the top American at the 2004 World Championships in the 4K. Gary’s 2004 qualification to the world championships in two events marked the first time a U.S. runner made both teams in consecutive years.
BRIAN OLINGER RETURNS TO COACH
Brian Olinger will enter his first season as a volunteer coach for the Ohio State men’s track team in the 2006-07 season. Olinger spent the last four years as a leader on both the Ohio State cross country and track and field teams. Olinger was a five-time All-American for the Buckeyes and, in his senior year, finished fifth at the 2006 NCAA Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
In the summer of 2005, Olinger became just the second American collegiate athlete to break the 8:20 mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase July 23 at the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden, Belgium. Olinger took 11th-place in the international field with a personal-best 8:19.56 and was just the third sub-8:20 timed by an American in 2005. The mark also ranks second in the Ohio State and Big Ten record books behind three-time Olympian and former Buckeye Mark Croghan (1988-91), who paced an 8:10.69 during the 1991 season.
Olinger was a three-time All-American in track and field and a two time All-American in cross country. He holds school records in the indoor 5,000-meters and the outdoor 10,000-meters. Olinger also is fourth in the Ohio State record book in the 3,000-meters. He also placed 12th in the 2004 NCAA Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 9:06.60. Olinger also helped the Buckeyes to a seventh-place effort in the distance medley championships of America at the Penn Relays in 2004 in a time of 9:48.95.
Olinger was named Great Lakes Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2005 after he won the NCAA regional race in a time of 30:51. Olinger finished the 2005 cross country season with an 11th-place standing at the NCAA championships. Olinger was named to the All-Big Ten team in both 2004 and 2005.
UP NEXT
The Indiana Invitational that will be held January 26-27 in Bloomington, Ind. on the campus of Indiana University.
