March 20, 2007
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The women's track and field team gets its outdoor season underway at the Auburn Springtime Invitational Saturday.
SPRINGTIME INVITATIONAL
Days: Saturday - field events start at 10:30 a.m., track events start at 1 p.m.
Venue: Hutsell-Rosen Track
Meet Information: auburntigers.com
Live Results: cfpitiming.com
HARRIS, JATSEK SCORE ALL-AMERICA HONORS AT INDOOR NATIONALS
Ohio State had two student-athletes earn All-American honors at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships March 10. Jenna Harris finished eighth in the 400m dash final in a time of 53.31.
In field events, junior Veronica Jatsek placed seventh in the weight throw to earn her first All-America honor at a distance of 66-9 3/4.
JATSEK JOINS BROTHER WITH ALL-AMERICAN STATUS IN WEIGHT
A year after her brother, Lenny Jatsek, captured All-America honors by finishing 13th in the weight throw at the 2006 NCAA indoor meet, Veronica Jatsek added another national award to the family. Veronica, competing in her first NCAA championships, placed seventh in the weight throw to earn her first All-America honor at a distance of 66-9 3/4. HARRIS SHATTERS OSU 400-METER MARK
Jenna Harris, running in just her third 400m event of the 2007 season, established a program record in advancing to the national final in the event at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships. Harris clocked a time of 52.74 to place fourth in the preliminary round. That mark snapped a 24-year old OSU standard set by 1988 U.S. Olympian Diane Dixon, who set the record at 53.17 Feb. 19, 1983. In the final, Harris took eighth (53.31).
NO HALTING HARRIS INDOORS, BUT SENIOR WILL REDSHIRT OUTDOORS
Jenna Harris made the most of her indoor senior season, rewriting the Ohio State record books, but she will sit out the 2007 outdoor season as a redshirt. Harris set the Buckeye 400m record at indoor nationals (52.74) and took aim at two additional school record so far this season. As a member of the 4x400-meter relay team, Harris helped set the OSU record at the New Balance Invite with a time of 3:39.77. She was part of the team that broke that record a week later in a time of 3:38.63 at Penn State.
Harris almost took down another school record in winning the Big Ten championships in the 60-meter dash. She set a personal best time of 7.35, just three-hundredths of a second off the school record.
DOING THE RECORDS NO FAVOURS
In only her second season, Ayrizanna Favours is making a name for herself as one of the best 400-meter runners in Ohio State history. She currently holds two of the top five times in Ohio State history in the 400 (3rd-53.47, T4th-54.14).
Favours has also been a member of the last three 4x400-meter relays teams to break the school record (2006-3:39.95; 2007-Armory-3:39.77; 2007-Sykes-Sabock-3:38.63).
Favours time at Penn State provisional qualifies her for the NCAA championships and it was the eighth best time in the country.
A GLANCE AT THE OUTDOOR SCHEDULE
The outdoor slate gets underway Saturday at the Auburn Spingtime Invitational. The Buckeyes head back to the midwest April 6-7 for Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.
Ohio State will utilize a selected squad to compete the next week at the Sea Ray Relays April 13-14 in Knoxville, Tenn., before competing against Ohio's best at the 2007 All-Ohio Championships in Cincinnati.
Ohio State's feature home event is the Jesse Owens Track Classic, held May 5 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. "The Jesse" will celebrate its 22nd running in 2007.
The postseason gets underway May 11-13 as Penn State plays host to the 2007 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. For those who qualify, the Mideast Regional will be hosted by Missouri and run May 25-26, two weeks prior to the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships, which again will be held in Sacramento, Calif.
2007 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP
Day One - Ohio State started action at the 2007 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championship in Champaign, Ill. Senior Jenna Harris led the Buckeyes by advancing to the finals of both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter event.
Harris timed a 7.42 to take the No. 2 spot in the 60-meter dash prelims and added the fourth-best mark of 24.14 in the 400m. Also in the 200m, sophomore Ayrizanna Favours clocked a 24.25 to lock up the sixth-best qualifying time. Favours became the second Buckeye to reach the finals of two events, when she sprinted to third-best time in the 400m at 55.07.
Chandra Krempel also moved on to the finals in the 600m, crossing the finish line in 1:34.31.
Day Two - Ohio State finished seventh at the 2007 Big Ten Indoor Championships in the Armory Fieldhouse in Champaigne, Ill. The Buckeyes were led by senior Jenna Harris, who won the 60-meter dash with a season best time of 7.35. The 60-meter crown is the second in Harris' career. She was the 60m champion in 2005. Harris also added points for the Buckeyes in the 200m event, taking fifth with a time of 24.04.
Also on the track, sophomore Ayrizanna Favours claimed third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 53.88. Favours then took third in the 200-meter dash with a NCAA provisional time of 24.00. The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Chandra Krempel, Favours, Harris and Ashley Caldwell came in third with a time of 3:40.00.
In the field, Veronica Jatsek took second in the weight throw with a season best toss 68-5 3/4. It was an NCAA provisional qualifying mark and the fourth best toss in Ohio State history. Jessica Stringer, the 2006 indoor high jump champ, cleared fourth with a leap of 5-8 1/2. Veronica Vance also notched points for the Buckeyes by taking eighth in the triple jump.
OSU TAKES BOTH BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK AWARDS FEB. 20
Sophomore Ayrizanna Favours claimed her second career Big Ten track athlete of the week award and sophomore Veronica Jatsek claimed her first league field athlete of the week award Feb. 20.
Favours takes home her second career Big Ten honor exactly one year after claiming her first Feb. 21, 2006. Favours led the Buckeyes on the track Saturday at the Buckeye Invitational with an NCAA provisional mark of 7.43 to win the 60-meter dash. Her time is the fifth best mark in Ohio State history and is the third different NCAA provisional mark for Favours this season. Favours also has provisional marks in the 400-meter dash (53.47) and she is also a member of school record-holding 4x400-meter relay (3:38.62).
Jatsek took home her first weekly award by leading the Buckeyes in the field at the Buckeye Invitational. Jatsek won the shot put and weight throw with season best marks on both events. She claimed top honors the weight with an NCAA provisional mark of 68 feet, 1 ½ inches and won the shot put with a toss of 49-7 3/4. Jatsek's mark in the weight is the best in the Big Ten and ranks fifth in the country this season. It also is the fourth-best mark in Ohio State history. Her mark in the shot is fourth in the Big Ten this season. Jatsek shared the award with Peaches Roach of Iowa, who hit 6-0 in the high jump.
OSU PAIR GRABS POSTSEASON HONORS
The Big Ten announced its all-conference teams following the 2007 Women's Indoor Championships in Champagne, Ill. Ohio State had two of the team's top competitors honored.
Senior Jenna Harris was named first-team All-Big Ten with her win in the 60-meter dash in a time of 7.35. Harris edged Illinois' Yvonne Mensah by .01 seconds to claim her second 60m Big Ten title of her career, adding to her 2005 crown. Harris' time in the 60m is the second best in Ohio State history and .03 off the school record. Harris now holds five of the Top 6 times in the Buckeye record books and is still after Donica Merriman's school record of 7.32. The time by Harris is the 21st best in the country this season. Harris adds the 60m mark to her time of 53.27 in the 400-meter dash which ranks ninth in the country this season and second in Ohio State history.
Junior Veronica Jatsek was named second team All-Big Ten with her second-place finish in the weight throw. Jatsek's toss of 68-5 3/4 is the fourth-best in Ohio State history and a season-best. It is an NCAA provisional qualifying toss and sixth-best in the country this season. Jatsek had the best throw by a non-senior by 12-11 1/4. It is Jatsek's first Big Ten postseason award. Jatsek's brother, Lenny, also took Big Ten honors in the weight throw after winning the league title in the men's event. It is the first time that a brother-sister combination has taken All-Big Ten honors in the same year since Tonya and Tyrone Williams of Illinois were both on the All-Big Ten team in 1995.
WOMEN SET RECORD IN 4x400-METER RELAY AGAIN
At the New Balance Invitational the Buckeyes set the school record in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:39.77.
With that mark the team of Chandra Krempel, Ashley Caldwell, Ayrizonna Favours and Jenna Harris topped the mark last season by .18 seconds. All except Caldwell were members of the team that set the mark a season ago.
A week later at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge the same team broke that record with a time of 3:38.68.
This NCAA provisional mark is not that surprising because both Favours and Harris are currently ranked in the Top 10 in the country in the 400-meter dash.
The time is currently the third best time in the Big Ten this season and is the 18th best 4x400m relay time in the country.
BUCKEYES INK STANDOUT HIGH JUMPER
Karen Dennis, Ohio State women's track and field head coach, announced Friday the signing of recruit Laura Allred, a high jumper from Cypress, Texas. A participant in the 2006 U.S. Junior Nationals meet, Allred owns a personal-best mark of 5 feet, 8 inches.
Allred holds the high jump record at Cy-Fair High School and helped the team to district championships in each of the last two seasons. A participant in the 2006 U.S. Junior Nationals meet, Allred claimed the 2005 and 6 district high jump titles. She also was named district jumper of the year the last two seasons.
"We are excited about Laura signing in the early signing period, Dennis, in her first season as Ohio State head coach, said. She is the fourth best high school high jumper returning for the 2007 year. She is smart, highly motivated and really studies her craft. We believe with hard work she will become one of the finest high jumpers in our conference, and nationally. It's also good to have made an impact on the great state of Texas."
Allred was a 2006 Jr. Olympic qualifier and National Youth Elite Athlete All-American. She was named to the 2006 All-Greater Houston Track and Field Team after taking third place at the Texas Relays. Overall, Allred has 18 event titles in her scholastic career.
A Special Olympics volunteer, Allred is a member of the Cy-Fair honor roll and serves as a mentor in her community.
WILLING HER WAY TO THE TOP
Sophomore Kim Willet tied the third best mark in school history in the pole vault last week with her winning jump at Akron of 11-11 3/4.
This gives Willet the second and third best marks in Ohio State history in the pole vault.
Willet is still after Becky Heintz school record of 12-5 1/2 set in 2004.
DENNIS COMPLETES COACHING STAFF
In August, Ron Davis and Qingyi Zheng were named women's track and field assistant coaches by head coach Karen Dennis. Davis will serve as distance coach and Zheng will guide field and multi-event athletes. Davis comes to Ohio State from South Alabama and Zheng last coached at Michigan State.
Both Davis and Qingyi Zheng (SHIN-yee ZENG) have coached track and field for more than 30 years.
"I'm excited both Ron and Qingyi decided to join our staff," Dennis said. "They have the experience to hit the ground running and provide quality coaching our student-athletes deserve. I am familiar with both coaches and I think they will add that extra ingredient to move our program in a winning direction."
Davis, a former track and field and cross country head coach at New Orleans and Maryland-Eastern Shore, headed the South Alabama distance program the last four seasons and guided the Jaguars to new levels of success in both cross country and track. Last season, he mentored Vincent Rono to South Alabama's first individual NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the 1,500-meter run.
In the 2006 indoor season, South Alabama's men's distance team dominated the Sun Belt Conference championships, becoming the first unit in league history to sweep the 800m, mile, 3,000m, and 5,000m events. The men's team also established six team records during the outdoor schedule.
Prior to his stint at USA, Davis directed the New Orleans women's cross country program to a Sun Belt Championship in 2000, the first in school history.
Zheng previously coached with Dennis at UNLV from 1997-2002. He then directed field and multi-events at Michigan State until 2005.
During Zheng's tenure at UNLV, the Lady Rebels finished second in the Mountain West Conference each of his last three seasons and eight individuals claimed league titles. Zheng also was an assistant coach on the 2001 U.S. Women's Track and Field team for the World University Games in Beijing, China. Zheng returned to Beijing in August as jumps coach of the U.S. team at the 2006 World Junior Championships.
Prior to his stint at UNLV, Zheng was a men's assistant coach at the University of Idaho from 1993-97. While at Idaho, the Vandals won the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field championship in 1995 and 1996, and the 1997 Big West Outdoor Track and Field championship.
UP NEXT
Ohio State will open the Big Ten outdoor season with the Indiana Invite April 6-7 in Bloomington, Ind.
