Newsfeed
Printer-Friendly ModeAthletes bolster opportunities for indoor nationals
February 27, 2006 —
The SVSU indoor track team had four athletes provisionally qualify for the Division II National Indoor Championship after their performances at the GLIAC Championships in Findlay, Ohio on Friday and Saturday.
Senior Mario Guerrero cleared six feet, 10.25 inches in the high jump to provisionally qualify for nationals. Guerrero earned 28 team points for the Cardinals over the weekend, earning Athlete of the Meet honors as the men's team finished third, six points behind Ashland.
"It was a banner day for Mario," coach Jim Nesbitt said. "He had been struggling all year with the high jump, but he didn't miss until he tried seven feet."
In addition, senior Paul Jozwiak provisionally qualified for the 5000-meter run, crossing the finish line in 14 minutes, 48.51 seconds, which was good for second place in the event. Freshman Sam Tilmon took second in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.69 seconds to provisionally qualify, and sophomore Becca Rudey finished third in the mile in a SVSU-record 5:02.61 to provisionally qualify as well.
The women did not have as good of a showing as the men, placing sixth at the event. Both of Grand Valley State's teams dominated the events, taking first by a wide margin. Ashland finished second in both.
"We have a strong team," Nesbitt said of the men, who finished third last year as well but closed the gap between themselves and Ashland. "I can't help but be happy. These kids mostly aren't on scholarships, while Grand Valley and Ashland both have fully-funded programs."
The four athletes who provisionally qualified over the weekend join a list of their teammates that did the same throughout the season. To provisionally qualify, an athlete must clear a certain time, height, or distance set forth by the NCAA prior to the season.
Now that the indoor season is over, all the provisional qualifiers from around Division II will be stacked up against one another; a minimum of 12 athletes make it from each event.
The athletes will find out on Wednesday if they are selected to go to nationals, which are held in Boston on March 10 and 11. Nesbitt said with his jump over the weekend, Guerrero has one of the team's best chances to make it there. Other athletes with a good chance of making nationals, Nesbitt said, include sophomore Cullen Jamison and junior Ashley Bishop in the weight throw, senior Mary Jo Pouillon in the shot put, senior Adam Roach in the mile, and freshman Sean Egan, who has an "outside chance" in the shot put.
Several of those athletes had times and distances good enough to provisionally qualify over the weekend, but had a better meet earlier in the season that qualified them.
Nesbitt said during the outdoor season, he will miss Guerrero, who does not have any eligibility remaining. The indoor and outdoor seasons are separate as far as eligibility is concerned, and Guerrero did not redshirt the outdoor season last year.
In all, SVSU had 29 athletes earn points. The men finished with 113 points, well ahead of fourth-place Findlay, which finished with 52. The women, meanwhile, finished with 48, well ahead of seventh-place Northwood, which earned 19 points.