Team splits up, heads to Arizona, Stanford, Purdue
By BRIAN BURKE
Sports Writer
The Notre Dame men's and women's track teams will look to get the outdoor season off to a strong start this weekend with split squads traveling to the Arizona State Invitational on Friday and Saturday, and the Stanford Invitational and Purdue Invitational on Saturday.
"Some kids have a legitimate shot at [qualifying for] the NCAA's, so this gives us the opportunity to get some good early season times," head coach Joe Piane said.
The Arizona State Invitational will feature some of the top sprinters and middle distance runners for the Fighting Irish, including seniors Chris Cochran, Phil Mishka, and Marshaun West for the men.
Cochran and Mishka are part of the distance medley relay team that placed sixth at the NCAA indoor championships last week with a time of 9:38.82, Notre Dame's highest finish since 1968. Cochran, an all-conference, performer, won the 400 meter race at the Big East outdoor championships last year with a time of 46.86.
Mishka finished second in the 800-meter Big East championships. His 1:48.94 in the 800 at the Mt. Sac Invitational was the team's best.
West, who also was an All-American for the Irish in the indoor long jump in 1999, will join Cochran, Tom Gilbert and Travis Davey on the 4x100 meter relay team that begins the season with high hopes.
"Our 4x100 team is looking to establish a standard. We plan on going after the [school] record this year," said West. West was the Big East's most outstanding track performer last year, winning the 200 at the Big East outdoor championships with a time of 21.16 seconds.
"I personally want to get back on track in the long jump," he said. "There's a lot of good competition [at Arizona State] and it's good we had the week off to get people healthy."
Notre Dame's super sophomore Liz Grow will lead the women sprinters at Arizona State. Grow ran the 100, 200, and 400 meter races during last year's outdoor season, notching seven first place finishes and earning All Big East honors.
Freshman Tameisha King also figures to contribute. King comes off a first place performance in the long jump at the Alex Wilson Invitational, with a Meyo Field record of 20-1 1/2. She is also one of the team's stronger sprinters.
Junior Ryan Shay and sophomore Luke Watson are among the top men's distance runners competing at the Stanford Invitational. Shay earned All-American honors last year with a seventh-place finish in the 10,000 meter contest at the NCAA championships.
Watson, the 1999 World Junior Cross Country champion, ran the best time in the 3,000 meter steeplechase last year for the Irish with a time of 8:56.70.
Senior high jumper Jennifer Engelhardy will lead the women's squad that is trekking to Stanford. A two-time All American and Big East champion in the outdoor high jump in 1998 and 1999, Engelhardt became the first Notre Dame woman to clear the 6 foot barrier last year with her 6-0 3/4 leap at the Mt. SAC Invitational.
Meanwhile much of the Irish track and field squads will be starting off the season at the Purdue Invitational.
"This is an opportunity for a lot of the runners to get ready for the scoring meet we have here [at Notre Dame] next week," Piane said.
All Sports Stories for Friday, March 24, 2000
