Track succeeds in SCIAC championship
Campus Times
April 25, 1997
Running the men's 400m preliminaries at Pomona-Pitzer April 17, sophomore
Ordell Williams achieved a time of 49.11. Williams later decreased his time
to 49.02 at the championships, also held at Pomona-Pitzer Saturday. Nine
women and five men from the track team have qualified for the nationals
in Wisconsin, with two more meets remaining for others to qualify.
Five records were broken and national qualifiers merged at the SCIAC
championships courtesy of the University of La Verne women's track team
last Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer College.
"I feel great about our performance in the championships. So far,
we've reached one of our goals," said ULV track coach Pat Widolff.
The La Verne women's team finished first in the championships, maintaining
control and dominating the competition with a 176 point total. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
as the next closest opponent in the women's championship with 138 points.
Junior Katrina Hall was named MVP for women's competition, the first
time ever a Leopard was named MVP in the conference championships. Hall
grabbed first in the 100 meter hurdles at 15.67, posted second in long jump
and triple jump events and finished third in the high jump. She also was
one of the runners on the women's 4x100 relay team; the other athletes being
senior Stacey Williams, freshman Jemeace Willis and junior Patrina Hall.
The relay team qualified for the nationals and is third in the nation in
Division III, finishing first at 48.70.
"Claremont and Occidental did all they could to stop us from a
championship title, but we would not go down without a fight," said
Hall when asked about the competition. "It felt good just to win. We
knew what we had to do."
The 4x400 relay team, consisting of Willis, Patrina Hall, Castillo and
senior Vikki Wallace, set a SCIAC meet record with a 3:56.73 time which
is also No.3 in the nation in Division III.
Other great accomplishments on the day for the women included senior
Jacqui Zwissler, who was first in the javelin and triple jump events respectively
for an automatic qualification for the nationals. Zwissler also was third
in the long jump.
Williams clinched the win in the high jump with a leap of 5'3"
and Katrina Hall placed third with 5'2 1/2".
Going against doctor's orders and suffering from asthma, sophomore Eboni
White made a courageous showing at the meet. White was second in discus
competition, throwing 138'4", a provisional mark for nationals and
sixth in shotput.
Freshman Rhiannon Jenson also did well in the shotput, placing second
with a 138'4" toss, posted fifth in shotput and came roaring back to
place third in the javelin after entering the finals in eighth place.
Senior Socorro Gonzalez won her fourth individual conference championship,
tying the ULV record, by ranking first in shotput with a 43'3''3/4 toss.
Gonzalez was second in the javelin event with a 130''4' toss, ranking fifth
in the nation.
Freshman Maria Garcia posted a school record in the 400 meter hurdles
by coming in second place at 67.46. Castillo was all-conference in the 400
meters, grabbing third at 58.70, and Patrina Hall nabbed second in the 100
meters with a time of 12.84.
A milestone was accomplished for the men's team as the Leopards took
third place overall in the SCIAC championship with 110 points, its best
ever. CMS and Pomona-Pitzer were the teams ahead of La Verne.
Senior Anthony Rice flew through the 100 meters in 10.84, provisionally
qualifying him for national competition. Rice was also a big part of the
men's 4x100 relay team that consisted of senior Jason Neal, junior J. Anthony
Rudolph, and senior Liron Wilson. The team won the relay event not only
qualified for nationals, but making itself the nation's leader in Division
III.
Wilson, who also set a school record in the 200 meters (21.55), qualified
for nationals, ranking second.
"We knew what we had to do and we went out there and took care
of business," said Wilson.
Another qualifier for the Leopards was Michael P. Bailey, who was second
in the javelin throw with a 187'11'' recording.
Bailey said in regards to the team's finish, "It was disappointing.
We should have at least held on to second place."
In the men's long jump, sophomore Ordell Williams bested all and won
the conference championship for the respected event at 22'11 3/4".
"This is a talented, well coached and confident team," said
Widolff.
ULV looks to win more at the Cal-Nevada State Meet tomorrow and Sunday
at Cal State Northridge.