RedHawks Continue Early Season Tune-Up At Findlay Open
12/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Dec. 9, 2003
OXFORD, Ohio -
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Miami Unversity's women's track & field teams has a short week after opening their indoor season at the Kent State Gala, Dec. 5-6. The RedHawks travel north to the Findlay Open on Thursday, Dec. 11, for the non-scoring event.
This Week: Miami has a short week, competing Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Findlay Open. The RedHawks last competed at the Kent State Gala on Dec. 5-6. The Findlay Open is another non-scoring meet, and is Miami's last meet of 2003.
Last Time Out: The RedHawks shook off the off-season dust, returning to action at the Kent State Gala, Dec. 5-6. In non-scoring action, the Red and White received support from first-place finishes by freshman Lashonda Davis (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and senior Erika Harper (Bedford, Ohio/Bedford) who ran unattached, due to only outdoor eligibility remaining. Davis broke the school indoor record in the long jump, while Harper paced the field in the 400m.
Also with a strong showing were MAC Champion Erin Connolly (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) and Bernitta Johnson (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./GAR Memorial) who took second place in the 60m hurdles and triple jump, respectively. Senior Jenny Korrison (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) was the lone distance runner in action, taking third in the 1000m.
Quick Study: It's not unusual for a freshman to take some time to adapt her skills from high school to collegiate athletics. For Lashonda Davis, that time lasted about as long as it took her to get down the runway at her first collegiate meet. On Friday, making her first collegiate jump, Davis surpassed the Miami indoor record for the long jump by one inch. She proceeded to jump farther than the previous standard on three of her next four jumps, while setting the new mark at 19-0 1/2.
Mid-Season Form: A pair of RedHawks appear to be in mid-season form, setting personal records in their first meet of the season. Senior Erica Barnett (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) and sophomore Jaclyn Benson (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) reach new limits in taking fifth place in their respective events. Barnett clocked in at 57.91 finishing behind Erika Harper in the 400m, while Benson cleared 10-6 in the pole vault to lead the Red and White.
They Always Come Back: After sitting out the first meet of the season, the Miami distance runners are expected to make their 2003-04 indoor debuts on Thursday at Findlay. Seniors Andrea Kremer (Indianapolis, Bishop Chatard) and Kristin Wrede (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), as well as sophomores Sophie Afridi (Perrysburg, Ohio/Maumee Country Day), Kelly Ardelean (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville), Abbey Reeser (Circleville, Ohio/Circleville), Leslie McCue (Braidwood, Ill./Reed-Custer) and Jen Taylor (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) finished their cross country season in late November, but sat out the first meet of the season. Jenny Korrison was the lone distance runner in action at Kent State.
Academic All-America: Over the summer, Miami University's women's track and field team joined the cross country team as having acheived all-America status. The RedHawks were one of only two MAC schools to accomplish the feat in 2003, joining Akron. Ceronie's squads have now accomplished the feat in back-to-back years.
While We're on the Subject: Individually, five Miami women's track & field athletes earned academic all-America status. Lauren Collins, Katie Dyer (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville), Lindsay Hazen (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) Andrea Kremer and Kylee Studer were honored by the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA). Kremer has earned the honor twice, while everyone else earned the honor for the first time.
Up Next: The RedHawks have the holidays off before returning to action at Bowling Green in 2004. Miami and the Falcons will be joined by Detroit, Ohio and Western Michigan at the Jan. 17 meet.
