Every Point is Key at 2011 NCAC T&F Meet

Get your point!

 

“That's our theme this weekend — ‘Get Your Point!’,” Morgan (right) said. “If you are battling for eighth place to get that final team point, battle like you’re going after first place. Every point will be important when the team standings are finally determined.

 

“All week long we’ve talked as a team about taking everything one event at a time. Saturday afternoon. If we do that, the team scoring will take care of itself.”

 

Wabash enters the outdoor competition as one of the teams capable of ending Ohio Wesleyan University’s three-year hold on the men’s team title. Last year the Battling Bishops scored a total of 220 points to win the overall competition. Wabash finished second with 161.5 points, while Allegheny was third with 93 points.

 

The Little Giant team enters the weekend as the only NCAC squad named in the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association computer rankings. Wabash is 24th overall in that list.

 

“Ohio Wesleyan is the defending outdoor champion. That makes them the favorite again this year. We have to be tough and aggressive and put together our best effort.

There are a lot of very good teams in this conference. Ohio Wesleyan is the defending champion, and we feel our Wabash squad will also be in the mix. Allegheny and Oberlin will also be difficult to compete against, as will Wittenberg. There are also so many talented athletes from every team that have the ability to affect the final outcome. Every event will be important.”

 

Wabash enters the meet with dominating number in the field throws. Junior Daniel Ambrosio (left) is competing for the first time ever in the javelin. The rookie has set the conference on fire, earning athlete of the week honors twice this season. His best throw of the year came last weekend at the Stan Lyons Invitational where he produced a mark of 57.73 meters. The only other athlete in the NCAC to top 55 meters in the javelin this season is teammate Evan Groninger. The Wabash sophomore produced a mark of 55.86 meters early in the year and has been consistently in that area throughout the season. Ambrosio is also the top high jumper for Wabash. He ranks third in the NCAC after clearing 6 feet, 2 inches early in the year. Patrick Posthauer and John Bogucki have also turned in solid efforts in the high jump this year.

 

Senior Matt Scheller and freshman Joel Beier top the shot put list, with Oberlin’s Josh Gallagher just behind in third on the performance list. Wabash freshman Brad Pusateri is also in the top-five spots on the conference list with a throw of 13.49 meters. Scheller is also the top hammer thrower in the NCAC this season with his mark of 50.80 meters. He took third place at last year’s conference championship meet. Alex Moseman has also produced solid throws all season after missing the 2010 meet due to a back injury. Moseman was the conference champion in the hammer in 2009. Devin Kelley and Ben Burkett will join Beier as possible scorers in the discus.

 

Pole vault has been another event where the Little Giants have excelled throughout the season. Sophomore Matt Knox and freshman Trevor Young (right) have pushed each other all year long. They are the only two athletes in the NCAC to clear 15 feet outdoors. Depth is also a key for Wabash in this event. Sam Glowinski is fourth on the performance list, with freshman Wesley Adams just behind in sixth place. 

 

Vann Hunt and Groninger will be the top competitors for the Little Giants in the long jump.

 

On the track senior Wes Chamblee appears to be close to 100 percent after suffering a severe knee injury playing football in the fall. His 400-meter time of 49.05 is the best this season. Chamblee is the conference's defending champion in the 400. John Haley is third in the NCAC with a time of 49.34 Jake Waterman is seventh at 49.76. Chamblee has the third-fastest time in the 200-meter dash with a mark of 22.48. Haley’s time of 22.79 is the sixth fastest in that event.

 

Waterman (below left) is part of a Wabash trio that has been strong in the 800-meter run this season. His time of 1:51.16 is not only the best in the league, but is third-best among Division III men this year. Teammate Kevin McCarthy is right behind with a time of 1:51.36, the fourth-quickest time in the nation. Donavan White posted a time of 1:54.78 last weekend for the fourth-fastest time by an NCAC runner this season. McCarthy and White will also be the top competitors in the 1,500-meter run for the Little Giants. McCarthy also has the quickest time of the year in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the NCAC. He ran a 9:11.68 at Ohio State University two weeks ago.

 

Seth Einterz is among the NCAC leaders in the 5,000-meter run. His time of 14:47.84 is fourth-best overall. Freshman Jake Ponton has the sixth-best time in the 10,000-meter run at 33:43.24.

 

Posthauer, Bogucki, and Haley have three of the best four times in the 110-meter hurdles this season. They are joined by teammate Billy Rosson in sixth and Groninger in seventh on the performance list. Freshmen Charles Smothers and Sean Hildebrand will look to put together solid efforts in the 100-meter dash against a talent-laden field of competitors. Smothers has the third-quickest time of the year with a mark of 11.04, while Hildebrand is sixth quickest at 11.18.

 

The 2011 NCAC Outdoor Championship meet begins Friday at Oberlin University at 11 a.m. and continues through Saturday afternoon. Complete meet information can be found here.