March 18, 2009

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Just over a month removed from capturing its second indoor league title, the Navy women's track & field squad will open the outdoor portion of its schedule this Saturday when it hosts Patriot League members American and Colgate, as well as regional foe Maryland.

The four-team scored competition will commence with the hammer throw at 11:30 am at Hospital Point, with the action returning to Ingram Field at 1:00 pm.

Saturday's meet marks the first of two competitions the Midshipmen women will host during the spring season. Navy will also host archrival Army in the annual Star Meet on Saturday, April 11.

Navy is coming off a memorable indoor campaign, during which it captured its first Patriot League Championship since 2001 and recorded its fourth-straight undefeated regular season record (13-0), highlighted by a 92-88 N-Star victory over the Black Knights.

Picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, the Mids, led by Patriot League Track Athlete of the Meet Amy Watson (Hampstead, Md.), produced a 35-16 scoring advantage over the final three events at the league championship to complete a dramatic victory and end Bucknell's seven-year reign atop the conference.

Moving forward, the Midshipmen women will aim to bounce back after turning in a fifth-place showing at last year's Patriot League Outdoor Championship, held in Annapolis. Navy brings back three all-league members this season in juniors Erica Ziel (Saginaw, Mich) and Watson, as well as senior Maureen Dooley (Durham, Conn.). Ziel was the 5,000-meter champion last spring, while Watson and Dooley both earned second-team all-league kudos with runner-up efforts in the 10,000-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase events, respectively.

In addition to the carry-over momentum from its very successful winter, Navy also stands to benefit from its talented freshman class, which earned a total of four all-league certificates during the indoor league meet.

Following this weekend's action, the Midshipmen women will make the short jaunt to Towson, Md., to compete at the Tiger Invitational on Saturday, March 28.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
11:30 am 	Hammer (Hospital Point)
1:00 pm     	Shot Put, High Jump, Long Jump
2:00 pm	        Triple Jump (follows Long Jump)
                Pole Vault, Javelin, Discus (follows Javelin)
1:30 pm  	3,000m Steeplechase
1:50 pm  	4x100m Relay
2:00 pm  	1,500m Run
2:15 pm  	100m Hurdles
2:30 pm  	400m Dash
2:40 pm 	100m Dash
2:50 pm  	800m Run
3:00 pm  	400m Hurdles
3:10 pm	        200m Dash
3:20 pm  	5,000m Run
        	10,000m Run (concurrent)
4:05 pm  	4x400m Relay

## GO NAVY! ##