2003 Track & Field Championships to be Held at Williams

HARTFORD, Conn. – Williams College will attempt to defend the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field titles as they host the 2003 NESCAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday, April 26. The Williams men out-scored second-place finisher Tufts winning their tenth team title in eleven years. The Eph women finished ahead of second-place Bowdoin for their second consecutive NESCAC title.

NESCAC student-athletes have already posted marks this season worthy of regional and national recognition. Several are ranked at the top in the most recent NCAA Division III outdoor performance lists in their respective events. Trinity senior Ryan Bak, the defending 2003 NCAA Indoor champion in the 5,000 meters, has posted the nation’s best time in the 5,000 meters and the second best time in the 1,500 meter event. Bates senior Justin Easter is the defending NCAA champion in the steeplechase and has posted the best time nationally so far this season. Karl Remsen of Williams has the nation’s third best time in the event.
Tufts’ Greg Devine, the 2002 NESCAC champion in the 110 meter and 400 meter hurdles, returns to defend titles in those two events. Pat Moffett of Wesleyan, who finished second in the 400 meter hurdle event at last year’s conference championships, has run the fastest 110 meter time in the region to date.

Defending NESCAC triple jump champion Xavier Garcia of Colby has posted region’s top mark in that even this season as well as the top time in the 400 meters and the second fastest times in New England in the 100 and 200 meters. Defending NESCAC outdoor shot put champion Trey Wright of Williams and defending conference high jump champion James Wilkins of Bowdoin have each posted marks among the best in the region this season.

There are several outstanding female performers competing in the conference as well. Defending NCAA champion Healy Thompson of Williams has recorded the furthest shot put this year. Thompson held off Liz Wanless of Bates to win the shot put title at the 2003 NCAA Indoor championships earlier this year. Wanless, 2002 NESCAC Champion, has the nation’s second furthest put this outdoor season.

Sophomore Jenn Campbell of Williams has posted the region’s top time in the 800 meters, 1,500 meters and steeplechase. Campbell, the 2002 NCAA runner-up in the steeplechase, has the nation’s second fastest time this season. Teammate Caroline Cretti was ranked second on the NCAA performance list in the 10,000 meters. The freshman has New England’s top time in the 5,000 and 10, 000 meters.

Defending NESCAC 100 meter champion Jenna Flateman of Wesleyan ran a 12.10 last weekend, to rank first in New England and fourth in the nation in the event. Tufts’ Jess Trombly, the defending NESCAC 100 meter hurdle champion, enters the conference championships ranked in the top 10 in New England in the 100, 100 hurdles, 200 meters, 400 meters 400 meter hurdles and long jump.

The championship format, previously a two-day event, was changed to a one-day competition beginning in 2003. The meet gets under way at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Tony Plansky Outdoor Track. Results will be available at the conclusion of the event.