 Billikens Set for Final Test Before A-10s
Feb. 6, 2009
Frank Sevigne Inv. Live Results **link active approx. one hour before competition**
What's on Tap: Saint Louis' indoor track and field team will be split this weekend, with several competing at Nebraska's Frank Sevigne Invitational and thers competing at the Keck Invitational at Illinois Wesleyan. The Frank Sevigne Invitational is a two-day event beginning Friday, while the Keck Invitational begins Saturday at 11 a.m. About the Frank Sevigne Invitational: Track and Field News has recognized the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational as one of the top collegiate track and field meets in the United States. The meet attracts more than 7,300 spectators and athletes over two days. The 34th annual invitational will include squads from Michigan, UTEP, Rice, Arizona, UCLA, Saint Louis, Colorado State, Iowa State, Drake, Barton County CC, Appalachian State, Oklahoma Baptist, Cloud County CC, Oklahoma City University, Neosho County CC, Nebraska-Kearney, Butler County CC, Southwest Baptist University, Colby CC, Wayne State College, Concordia University, South Dakota State, Ottawa University, Lincoln University and Pittsburg State. About the Billikens: Saint Louis is in just its third season participating in indoor track and field. The Bills began their 2008-09 campaign in December at the ISU Early Bird at Illinois State and have competed four straight weekends at the Missouri Invitational in Columbia, Mo., the SASF Invitational in Carbondale, Ill., the EIU Mega Meet in Charleston, Ill. and the McDonald's Invitational in Carbondale, Ill. The Billikens have next weekend off before the A-10 Championships Feb. 20-21 in Kingston, R.I. Rolling in the Hardware: SLU freshmen standouts Brittney Cloudy and Dahmar Smiles have claimed two A-10 Rookie of the Week nods apiece so far this season. Cloudy earned A-10 accolades for her performances at the Illinois State Early Bird and SASF Invitational, while Smiles earned back-to-back co-Rookie of the Week honors after the Missouri Invitational and SASF Invitational.
Record Breakers: On the women's side, Saint Louis has broken 10 school records this season. Sophomore Tiffany Alexander paces the squad with school records in the 60-meter dash (8.10), 60-meter hurdles (9.16) and 200 meters (26.91). Freshman Brittney Cloudy holds SLU's top marks in the long jump (18-8.5) and triple jump (38-10.5). Also, senior Anna Alexandrov is the first Billiken to participate in the shot put and weight throw and has established school-record marks of 36-3 and 44-10.25, respectively, in those events. Senior Mary Moloney owns the school record in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:18.22, and freshman Katie Merritt is the first Billiken ever to compete in the high jump (4-10.5). The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Alexander, Sara Fraley, Lauren Verzal and Caitlin McCarthy set a school record with a time of 4:05.34. The men's team has achieved nine school records thus far. Junior David Whelan surpassed his own school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.04. Freshman Dahmar Smiles smashed the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.39. Senior Austin Critchlow is the school-record holder in the 800 meters (1:58.96), while Kyle Ross set the school standard in the 1,000 meters (2:38.33). Senior Matt Alexander set the school mark in the long jump with a distance of 21-.75, and sophomore Justin Kwasa surpassed his previous top marks in the shot put (40-8.25) and the weight throw (54-3.25). SLU's 4x400-meter relay squad of Smiles, Critchlow, Patrick Kotecki and Mark Zimmer set the school record (3:25.14) this year, as did the distance medley relay (11:12.44) team of John Woodman, Gavin Robey, Mat Janda and JJ Hannigan. Head Coach Jon Bell:Bell is in his second season as head cross country/track and field coach. During last season's indoor campaign, the Billikens showed drastic improvement throughout the season while placing a league-high five student-athletes on the Academic All-Conference team. Assisting Bell are Tim Bradley, John Cunningham and Autumn Valk. In the A-10: Several Billikens have posted marks that rank among the top 10 in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season. Freshman Brittney Cloudy is second in the triple jump (38-10.5), and she has also posted the fifth-best long jump (18-8.5). Senior Mary Moloney's time of 10:18.22 in the 3,000 meters is the seventh-fastest time in the league. In the 1,000 meters, Lauren Verzal is fifth (3:04.65), followed by teammate Hilary Orf in sixth (3:06.12) on the conference chart. For the men, David Whelan's converted 55-meter time of 6.56 is good for eighth in the conference. Dahmar Smiles is eighth in the league in the 55-meter hurdles (7.82 converted). Justin Kwasa's weight-throw mark of 52-7.25 is tied for fourth in the A-10. Quotable: "We are looking forward to the meet at Nebraska because we will face some of the best competition in the country," head coach Jon Bell said. "This is the level where our student-athletes want to be, and to perform at a world-class facility against athletes who one day could represent their country in the Olympic Games will be memorable. The meet at Illinois Wesleyan gives us a chance for everyone to compete and get ready for the A-10 Championships in two weeks." |
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