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WOMEN'S
TEAM OUTLOOK
The
Binghamton women's track team enters the season at a crossroad
in terms of how it will fare. Many of the team leaders from the
past few seasons have graduated and it is up to a new group of
leaders to emerge. Still, head coach Mike Thompson feels that
the talent level is there to improve upon last season's seventh-place
finish at the America East Conference meet.
"We lost several of our team leaders to graduation but the
talent is there to improve at the conference meet," Thompson
said. "We have a lot of good returnees and freshmen but
people need to step up to maximize their potential."
JUMPS
The women's team's greatest depth this season is in the jumps.
Junior Monisha Mealing, who is one of the team captains,
will compete in the long and triple jumps. She placed seventh
in the triple jump last season at the conference meet and is
aiming for distances of 39-0 in the triple jump and 18-0 in the
long jump. She also runs in the 55 hurdle and 100 hurdle events.
Also competing in the long and triple jump events is Jessica
Nye, who is aiming for distances of 38-0 and 18-0 this season.
Freshman Monica Friedl, who has gone 37-0 in the triple
jump, also has shown promise in the the 4x400. Sophomore Jamie
Stitt, who tied for 5th in the pole vault at the conference
meet, is aiming for a height of 12-0. Also retuning in the pole
vault are sophomore Kate Williams and junior Lindsay
Warren, who tied for seventh at the conference meet last
season. Junior Erlyn Berg and sophomore Sara Hoffman
are aiming for vaults of 11-5 and 11-0 respectively this season.
Senior Patti Hong, who placed eighth in the high jump
in the conference last season, is aiming to jump 5-4 this season.
"This is a young, talented group with raw, untapped potential,"
Thompson said. "They have the ability to do very well."
DISTANCE
The distance events are also among the stronger events for the
women's team this season. Sophomore Joy Romulus, who finished
seventh in the conference in the 800 last season, will compete
in that event again this season along with the 1500. Freshman
Michelle Cornett will also run the 800. Sophomore Kathryn
Murnane is slated to run the 1,500 and 3,000 events while
freshmen Mary Tursi and Taryn Menard will run several
events, ranging from the 800 to the 3000. In the longer distance
events, junior Lindsey Bohrer-Yardley will speciialize
in the 5,000 and steeplechase. Also competing in the steeplechase,
is sophomore Erin Yaichuk, who was sixth in the conference
last season. Sophomore Erica Angel has the potential to
score in the conference meet in the 10,000.
"We are strong in the distance events but the America East
is one of the stronger conferences in women's distance events,"
head coach Mike Thompson said. "The competition to place
at the conference meet will be very challenging."
SPRINTS
Senior Larisa Least, who finished third in the indoor
conference meet last season, is rebounding from an injury that
kept her out of the outdoor season. He goal this season is to
break 57 in the 400.
"Larisa is one on the toughest competors I have ever coached,"
Thompson said. "She is on a mission this year."
Juniors Nina Minasi and Heather Tassler will run
in the events ranging from the 55-200. Freshman Karisa Heisler,
who tore her ACL last season, will compete in the 400 hurdles
while Willa Payne will run the 55 dash.
THROWERS
After several solid season, the women's team is in a rebuilding
phase in the throwing events. Sophomore Kelly Parry is
the top returnee.
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