May 07, 2008
Eagles make change to schedule
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana men's and women's track and field teams have made a change to their schedules this weekend.
USI will send a small group to compete at the Dr. Keeler Invitational in Naperville, Illinois, on Thursday only. The Screaming Eagles also will send a small group to compete at the Billy Hayes Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana, on Friday.
This weekend will serve as a last-chance weekend as USI will be attempting to reach or strengthen its NCAA II qualifying marks.
To date, sophomore Mary Ballinger (Chesterton, Indiana) is the only runner to assure herself a trip to nationals after recording a pair of NCAA II automatic qualifying times in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Sophomore Christy Dixon (Owensboro, Kentucky) has posted provisional qualifying times in the 1,500 meters, but will likely have to improve on her season-best time of four minutes, 37.95 seconds to lock herself into a trip to nationals.
Dixon and Ballinger both will compete in the 1,500 meters at the Billy Hayes Invitational Friday as will junior Marcia Weflen (Rossville, Indiana), sophomores Lauren Crick (Evansville, Indiana) and Sarah Whiteman (Bloomington, Indiana), and freshman Holly Bartelt (Huntingburg, Indiana). Weflen and Whiteman will compete in the steeplechase, while Crick will run in the 800 meters and Whiteman will compete in the 3,000 meters.
Junior Allison Shafer (Plainville, Indiana) also will make a run at an NCAA II qualifying mark when she competes in the 10,000 meters Thursday at the Dr. Keeler Invitational.
Freshman David Goodman (Valparaiso, Indiana) and senior Rob Roads (Terre Haute, Indiana) each have reached provisional qualifying marks in the men's steeplechase, but both need to trim time off their marks if they are to advance to nationals.
Along with sophomore Brandon Campbell (Portage, Indiana), Goodman and Roads will attempt to better their marks in the steeplechase Friday at the Billy Hayes Invitational. Seniors Tristan Mannix (Crothersville, Indiana) and Jeremy Kemper (West Terre Haute, Indiana) will compete in the 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, respectively, Thursday at the Dr. Keeler Invitational.
Dan McDonnell,
USI Sports Information
