2008 Centennial Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship Preview

The 2008 Centennial Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships features several returning champions and a wide-open field in many events, as some defending champions have graduated.

For the team standings, the Haverford men look to win another championship. The Fords have won all but one title the inception of the championships back in 1994. For the women, Haverford will be looking to make it three straight as the Fords ran away with the team title last season.

On the women's side of the competition, Muhlenberg's Alex Faust returns as she was the outstanding performer in the field last season. She has already set a Centennial Conference record this season in the pole vault, clearing a height of 11-9. That mark has already got her a provisional entry into the NCAA championships. She won last year's event with a height of 10-11 3/4. Faust also holds the best time this season in the 200-meter dash at 26.23.

In the track events, Bryn Mawr's Akua Nyame-Mensah holds the top time this season with a mark of 7.58 in the 55-meter dash, just .02 seconds faster than Christina Nielson of Haverford. Dickinson's Katie Creme is also within striking distance of the top time.

In the 55-meter hurdles, Creme has the second best time at 8.78, as Eliza Reiss holds the Centennial Conference top spot at 8.70.

Nyame-Mensah, who is the defending champion in both the 200 and 400-meter dash, has a fourth-best time this season in the 200 meters at 27.13. Faust holds the top spot, followed by Rachel McCallum from McDaniel (26.29) and Megan Hunter of Franklin & Marshall (26.99).

In the 400-meter dash, Hunter is tops so far this season at 1:00.02, with Johns Hopkins' Jordan Ireton second at 1:00.06. Nyame-Mensah is third at 1:00.98, followed by Nielson had 1:01.38.

In the 800-meter run, Annick Lamar from Haverford has already set a NCAA provisional mark with her season-best time of 2:16.22. Swarthmore's Caitlin Mullarkey, the defending champion, is third at 2:21.24. Another Ford, Darian Lunne, is second best this season to date at 2:17.84.

In the mile run, Lamar and Dickinson's Cait Bradley have both provisionally qualified for nationals. Lamar has a time of 5:02.64, while Bradley (the 2007 Outstanding Track performer during the championships) is second at 5:05.16.

Lamar holds the top time in the 3000 meters this season at 10:18.17, while Johns Hopkins' Laura Paulsen is second at 10:23.52.

Finally, the 5000 meters has Bradley with a NCAA provisional time of 17:28.56. Gettysburg's Rachel Guthridge is second best this season to date with a time of 18:35.51, with Haverford's Emily Letts third at 18:50.41.

In the relays, Haverford has the top times in the 4x200 (1:48.22), 4x400 (4:12.40) and the 4x800 (9:42.04). Johns Hopkins has the best time in the distance medley relay with a mark of 12:46.38.

Turning to the field events, five competitors are vying for the title in the high jump. Haverford's Jessie Belden has the top spot so far at 5-1, with Johns Hopkins' Becky Lossing and Jessica Reaves each having a mark of 5-0 1/4. Muhlenberg's Erika Koop and Gettysburg's Shannon Yates are both at 5-0.

In the pole vault, aside from Faust, Haverford's Melissa Nylander is the only competitor to clear 10-0 this season. Johns Hopkins' Logan Ashcraft and Reeves are both at 9-10.

On the long jump, Gettysburg's Sam Spence is back to defend her championship as she holds a leap of 17-8 this season. Yates is right behind her at 17-6, with Haverford's Mara Miller holding a mark of 17-2.

In the triple jump, Yates holds a Centennial Conference best mark of 37-0 1/2, while teammate Vanessa Pabon is second at 35-6 1/2.

Finally, in the shot put, Franklin & Marshall's Alyssa Catalano is tops so far this season with a toss of 39-5, with teammate Erin Gleason second at 38-02 3/4. Catalano has already qualified for the NCAAs in the 20-pound weight throw, which is not a Centennial Championship event.

On the men's side, Ursinus' Brandon Evans, is looking to win the 55-meter dash and 200-meter dash for the fourth time in his career. He currently holds the second-best time in the 55-meters (6.62), behind Johns Hopkins' Tristan Thomas who is at 6.54. Haverford's Carlos Coleman is third best this season with a mark of 6.65.

In the 200-meters, Evans is second again with a time of 22.70, 0.1 seconds behind Johns Hopkins' Dave Van Arsdale. Thomas is third with a time of 22.90.

In the 55-meter hurdles, Ursinus' Matt Granteed is looking for his third-straight championship and holds the best mark this season in the event at 7.88. Gettysburg's Steven Papuchis is second at 8.01.

In the 400 meters, Coleman is tops this season at 50.36, with Gettysburg's Ryan Keane, who was second last season, holds a mark of 50.84.

In the 800 meters, Muhlenberg's Stuart Udis will be looking to capture the championship as he was second last season. This season, he holds a top time of 1:56.21, with Haverford's Sunil Adige second at 1:57.39. Teammate Paul Bisceglio is third at 1:57.83.

The mile run features Haverford's Ian Ramsey-North who has set a NCAA provisional mark of 4:15.49, with teammate Elias Tousley second at 4:15.57. Bisceglio is third at 4:19.72.

In the 3000 meters, Ramsey-North (who was third in the event last season), has a season-best time of 8:28.27. Tousley is second at 8:34.73, with Ford Donald Letts third at 8:39.26.

Ramsey-North also continues his dominance in the distance events, with a conference-best and NCAA provisional mark in the 5000-meters at 14:37.65. Haverford's Don Letts is second at 14:57.80, with fellow Ford James Jablin third at 15:03.22.

In the relays, Gettysburg has the top times in the 4x200 (1:32.38) and the 4x400 (3:27.57), with Muhlenberg holding the best time in the 4x800 relay at 8:03.69. Johns Hopkins holds a conference best 10:22.66 in the DMR.

Turning to the field events, Dickinson's Greg Smart has the season-best mark in the high jump at 6-2 3/4, with Johns Hopkins' Adam Waddell second at 6-1 1/2.

Dickinson's Stephen Hendrix, third last season in the pole vault, has the best mark this year to date at 15-0. Johns' Hopkins Adam Waddell is second at 14-9, with fellow Blue Jay Matt Trachtenburg third at 14-3 1/4.

Haverford's Carson Pickens, who won the high jump, triple jump and long jump last season, has graduated which leaves the triple and long jumps up for grabs. The long jump features Franklin & Marshall's Kwaku Anno with a season-best mark of 22-9 π. Gettysburg's Stephen Papuchis is second at 21-4 1/4, while Ursinus' Charles Prete is third at 21-1 1/2.

In the triple jump, Ursinus' Travis Youngs has a conference best mark of 44-2, with Papuchis second at 43-0 1/4.

Finally, the shot put features defending champion Joe Awantang from Haverford, who has a NCAA provisional mark of 52-11 so far this season. Jason Maier from McDaniel is second at 48-6 3/4, with Johns Hopkins' Peter Li third at 46-9.