Dec. 1, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women's track & field program will unveil its latest crown jewel Tuesday night as it kicks off the 2008-09 indoor season by hosting American, Mount St. Mary's and Towson in the first-ever track meet at the Wesley A. Brown Field House.

"The girls are really excited," said Navy women's track head coach Carla Criste. "We now have one of the most state-of-the-art facilities in the nation. Schools from across the country have already expressed interest in coming in. Between the mondo-surfacing for the jumps and the hydraulic-banked track, I think we'll see some fantastic, national quality performances out of the facility this season."

The four-team meet marks the first of four competitions the Mids will host this winter at the 140,000-square foot, $52 million Wesley A. Brown Field House. The state-of-the-art facility features a 200-meter hydraulic banked track (one of four such tracks in the U.S.), dual pole vault/jumping runways, dual throwing areas and a scenic view of the Severn River.

Navy will host the three-day, 2009 Patriot League Indoor Championship meet to be held February 20-22.
 
Following Tuesday's four-team meet, Navy will return to action in a month when it travels to the Delaware Invitational on Jan. 9, in Newark, Del.

Schedule of Events Time  Event 4:00 pm   20-lb. Weight Throw 5:30 pm   Long Jump     High Jump     Triple Jump (follows LJ)     Pole Vault     Shot Put 6:00 pm   55-meter Hurdles 6:15 pm   55-meter Dash 6:35 pm   Mile Run 6:50 pm   400-meter Dash 7:05 pm   800-meter Run 7:15 pm   200-meter Dash 7:30 pm   3,000-meter Run 7:50 pm   4x400-meter Relay 8:00 pm   4x800-meter Relay

*** Navy Women's Track Season Preview ***

Navy women's track and field head coach Carla Criste recently sat down with NavySports.com to discuss how the Midshipmen women stack up in 2008-09.

Overall Comments
    "I am very excited about the group we have put together for this season," said Navy head coach Carla Criste. "We had a strong year overall last season. We were down a bit during the outdoor slate, but I think with the quality of the depth we return and the strength of our underclassmen, including a very talented incoming cadre, this has the potential to be a big year for us.

Sprints/Hurdles  Returners 55m 100m 200m 400m 55m hur. 100m hur. 400m hur.   Mary Bellis 8.14 --- 29.41 --- 9.26 16.44 ---   Ashley Boykin 7.64 --- 27.02 1:02.96 --- --- ---   Antoinette Carter 7.80 13.75 28.97 --- --- --- ---   Debbi Choi 7.47 13.21 26.10 --- --- --- ---   Colleen Conley --- --- --- --- 8.72 15.68 ---   Krystina Johnson 7.84 13.03 26.77 --- --- --- ---   Natalie Logan --- 14.30 29.81 --- --- --- ---   Angelique Martin --- --- --- --- 9.04 16.29 1:07.25   Krys Porter Lott 7.92 13.80 27.69 --- --- --- ---   Ashley Robinson --- --- --- --- 9.19 17.16 ---   Ashley Waddle 8.17 --- --- 1:04.91 --- --- 1:12.24

Newcomers  Hometown / High School   Amanda Bonilla   Fairfax, Va. / James W. Robinson   Sarah Brown   Durham, N.C. / Riverside   Lauren Carson   Summersville, W. Va. / Homeschooled   Arian Davis   Poughkeepsie, N.Y. / F.D. Roosevelt   Kia Logan   Colorado Springs, Colo. / Doherty   Colleen McFadden   Ft. Washington, Md. / Bishop Ireton   Jovonda Williams   Norfolk, Va. / Norview   Dominique Wright   Washington, D.C. / John F. Kennedy

    "Notoriously in the sprints and hurdles we've had a fairly strong crew," said Criste. "Two years ago, we had an especially stellar group. We were all-league 1-through-4 in the hurdles. Most of those girls have graduated now, but we've rebuilt and now have a lot of young talent in our plebe class. We're looking forward to regaining our dominance in those events.
    "Our seniors, Antoinette Carter, Debbi Choi and Angelique Martin, will be a huge part of our efforts here. We will look to them not only to nurture our talented cadre of newcomers, but to continue building upon strong junior campaigns. They are natural leaders and I couldn't be happier with them as our leaders this season.
    "I think our forte will be in the mid-hurdles. Senior Ashley Waddle and junior Mary Bellis are both very talented mid-hurdlers and we are looking forward to them cultivate the young 400, mid-sprint group.
    "Among our newcomers, I think both Arian Davis and Molly Timberlake will be very strong hurdlers for us. In the sprints, I think Colleen McFadden will make her presence felt, while in the mid-sprints Mansfield Murph just has amazing potential to do some big things for us. I think she will be our shining star in the mid-sprints. It's a strong young cadre and we expect them to play a big role in our sprint relays as well.

Middle Distance  Returners 400m 500m 800m 1,000m 1,500m Mile   Kaitlin Baker --- --- 2:25.53 3:10.13 5:03.13 5:32.00   Lara Bzik 1:03.59 --- --- --- --- ---   Chelsea Chlebo 58.73 --- --- --- --- ---   Abby Gesecki 1:00.34 1:17.40 2:16.89 --- --- ---   Allie Moreland --- --- 2:17.64 3:09.11 4:53.36 5:29.76   Erin Neumann 1:06.40 --- 2:23.88 --- 5:00.89 ---   Katie Rentz --- --- 2:25.63 --- 4:46.11 5:12.26   Kayla Sax --- --- --- 3:01.10 4:57.98 5:21.98

Newcomers  Hometown / High School  Melanie Arden   Dallas, Texas / Bishop Lynch  Brittney Boucher   San Antonio, Texas / St. Mary's Hall  Amanda Crowe   Bedford, N.H. / Manchester West  Jess Palacio   Sun Valley, Nev. / Papillion La Vista

    "This is the fittest I have ever seen the cross country team look in my past 18 years," added Criste. "It's a very exciting time for that group. I expect a lot of great things from them."
    "We are looking to juniors Chelsea Chlebo and Abby Gesecki to do some great things. They both have come back in great shape and are looking faster than ever. I think they will both do some damage in the 400-800 this coming year.
    "Allie Moreland is another returnee who has a lot of talent. She is in more of the 800-1,000 range and figures to be a fantastic lynchpin for us in the 4x800 relay.
    "Sophomore Katie Rentz and newcomer Jess Palacio both will have an impact as well. Rentz has performed terriffically this fall with the cross country program, while Palacio has the chance to really establish a forte in both the half and the mile.  I think, between the two of them, the middle distance group is just brimming with excitement."

Distance  Returners 1,500m Mile 3,000m 5,000m 10,000m 3,000m st.   Arwyn Becker 4:57.43 5:08.74 11:00.60 --- --- 10:32.71   Anna Bernal --- --- --- 19:22.15 --- ---   Sarah Burns --- --- --- 19:53.80 --- ---   Katie Calhoun 5:07.90 5:22.50 11:42.63 19:54.09 --- ---   Maureen Dooley 4:55.17 5:09.96 10:35.56 --- --- 10:55.24   Lexa Gass --- 5:24.95 11:19.28 18:14.76 38:06.64 ---   Nicole Kauzlarich 5:13.91 --- 11:00.39 --- --- 11:30.44   Anne Prisk 5:09.19 5:24.49 --- --- --- ---   Bethany Rahall --- --- --- 18:46.59 --- ---   Jenny Rubin --- 5:16.62 10:21.30 18:08.77 --- ---   Kayla Sax 4:57.98 5:21.90 --- --- --- 11:25.75   Amy Watson --- --- 10:07.97 17:24.48 37:18.05 ---   Katherine Wirtz --- --- 11:15.59 18:33.59 38:48.54 ---   Erica Ziel --- 5:31.23 10:37.79 17:23.80 --- ---

Newcomers  Hometown / High School   Dani Dixon   Inverness, Fla. / Crystal River   Katherine Dransfield   Bridgewater, N.J. / Bridgewater-Raritan Regional   Brittany Furst   Perry Hall, Md. / The John Carroll School   Molly Hebda   Palm City, Fla. / Martin County   Vicki Kessler   River Falls, Wis. / River Falls   Marina McGrail   Manchester, Vt. / St. Andrews (Del.)   Katie Taylor   Salem, Ore. / South Salem   Jade Wright   Phoenixville, Pa. / Phoenixville Area

     "We are super excited about out our distance corps," stated Criste. "This fall, the cross country girls won another league title and we expect them to build on that success and for those performances to carry over into the track season. Traditionally, we have had some strong distance groups, and this year will be no different. We are fully expecting this group to score big points for us."
    "Erica Ziel and Amy Watson just look fantastic. Amy just became the fifth women's cross country runner in school history to earn a spot at the NCAA Championship. Adding Marina McGrail as a plebe is going to just be icing on the cake.
    "Maureen Dooley is a senior who will be a huge factor for us as well. Even though she is primarily a steeplechaser, she also has a great cross country base. I think the steeplechase is really going to be her event this year and that she has great All-East and all-league potential."

Jumps/Pole Vault  Returners LJ TJ HJ PV   Katie Berkey 18'2-1/2" 38'9-1/2" 5'5" ---   Ashley Bucholz 17'8-1/2 35'4-1/2" --- ---   Colleen Conley 18'7-1/4" 38'4-3/4" --- ---   Krystina Johnson --- --- 5'1" ---   Jessica Schlaegel --- --- --- 11'3-3/4"

Newcomers  Hometown / High School   Nicole Adlam   Horshapm, Pa. / Hatboro-Horsham   Bethany Holden   Palm City, Fla. / Martin County   Mansfield Murph   Mechanicsville, Va. / Atlee   Kelly Ranz   Virginia Beach, Va. / Kempsville   Christine Scales   Monte Sereno, Calif. / Los Gatos   Kelli Sealover   Harrisville, W. Va. / Ritchie County

    "We have a talented group of jumpers returning," said Criste. "Katie Berkey and Colleen Conley both return as significant contributors. Both girls have all-league ability and will set the trend for our younger cadre of jumpers.
    "Ashley Bucholz is another person we are very excited about in the jumps. She has great speed, a tremendous vertical and has been looking great in the preseason so far.
    "In the pole vault, we have always been one of the east coast's most dominant teams. I think with the crew that we have assembled in 2008-09, led by Jess Schlaegel, our success in the event will continue into the near future.
    "Jess made ECACs and competed at the Penn Relays last year and we expect her build on those performances as a junior, while freshmen Christine Scales and Kelli Sealover both are tall, fit and aggressive and should make contributions right away. On top of being a great mid-sprinter, fellow plebe Mansfield Murph is a fantastic long and triple jumper

Throws  Returners SP WT DT HT JT   LeShay Bernstein 36'5-1/2" 36'5-3/4" 109'9" 112'5" ---   Mia Blundetto --- 47'1-3/4" --- 157' 65'8-1/4"   Brittney Coleman --- 33'2" --- 92'7" 84'8"   Joy Nameth 44'4-1/4" 45'1-1/2" 119'8" 131'3" 104'8"   Amber Salter --- --- --- --- 119'   Janet Von Eiff 44'2-3/4" 38'11" 125'10" --- 117'3"

Newcomers  Hometown / High School   Amanda Phelps   Oceanside, Calif. / Voorhees   Madison Stumpp   Denver, Colo. / Eaglecrest

    "Mia Blundetto has really done a good job of setting the tone for our young group of throwers," said Criste. "That girl is just amazing in the weight room. She is a nationally-ranked powerlifter with a great family legacy and is one of the most motivated athletes on the team.
    "Joy Nameth and Janet Von Eiff both made amazing strides in the shot put and the discus as freshmen. So are looking for some exciting things out of them this year. Joy was second-team all-league in the shot put and with another year under her belt, she should really make her presence in all five throwing events. Janet is a strong kid and a fast learner. She has showcased a great ability in the shot put, and is beginning to find success in both the discus and javelin as well.
    "We're excited about our newcomers as well, especially freshman Amanda Phelps. Amanda has looked very strong in the discus thus far and she looks like she will be a factor as a freshman."

*** GO NAVY! ***