Day 2 Quotes
Ashland senior Bryan Vickers, a third-place finisher in Friday's weight throw, on finishing first in the shot put:
"It's an honor. Hard work pays off."
His thoughts on how he attempted to break his own record:
"My practices have indicated a better performance, but it is what it is."
Bemidji State senior Joe Remitz on placing second in the shot put:
"It feels great to be in the top-three. My first outdoor season at BSU I took third, and haven't been there since, so it feels great to be back in the top-three."
His thoughts on his final throw:
"I tried to make sure my technique was perfect and give it everything I had but came up a little short."
John Ybarra, a senior from Adams State, on his bronze performance in the shot put:
"I'm kind of disappointed, I was expecting to do better, it gives me more of a driving force for outdoor. "
Sheena Devine, the winner in the women's shot put from Bemidji State on her last throw which won the competition:
"I was thinking this is my last indoor throw ever, and I wanted to keep my title."
Her thoughts on winning a national championship in her home state of Minnesota:
"It is awesome to throw in front of all my family and friends and make them proud."
Missouri Southern State's Jessica Selby-Tallman sharing her thoughts on her second-place finish:
"I feel awful. This is the second year I've lost on the final throw. All my throws were over 15 meters, so I'm happy, but disappointed."
Ashland senior Jennifer Tinney, third-place finisher in the women's shot put, reflecting on how she feels to be among the nations best:
"It feels very good. It's the highest place I've ever had at a national event"
Seattle Pacific's Jane Larson on her feelings about being mentioned with the nation's best:
"It's really exciting and humbling to be up with all these amazing athletes."
Adams State senior Tanya Gaurmer on her new personal record at the nationals after placing second in the mile:
"It's always good to get faster at nationals. That's when it counts."
Women's high jump champion Megan Doyen of Grand Valley State on being a national champion:
"I was hoping to get in the top-eight, but I didn't know I could get this far."
Junior Chelsea Morse of Lock Haven on her competition after placing second in the high jump:
"I love the challenge and being with people with the same ability"
Wilbert Walker of Lincoln (Mo.), men's champion in the triple jump, on how he improved after being injured last year:
"I worked a lot on my technique and strength. I thought of all my training I've been through this year."
Abilene Christian junior Davy Manga on his second-place performance in the triple jump:
"I feel frustrated because I scratched on my big jumps. We tried to do something good for our team, and a freshman and I got points to help out, but I'm still frustrated."
St. Augustine's sophomore Brandon Quarles on his third-place finish in the triple jump:
"I was hoping to get a little better. At the same time, you practice what you get."
Freshman Daniel Kirwa of Harding sharing his thoughts on being a national champion in the men's mile:
"I am so excited and so happy. I didn't know I could win. I've been training hard, but I wasn't expecting first-place."
Senior Chris Cummings of Mansfield, the second-place finisher in the men's mile, talking about why he likes to run the mile:
"It fits me really well. Every time I step to the line I feel ready."
Minnesota State sophomore Denise Mokaya, third-place finisher in the men's mile, on the mile finals:
"It was a tough race, but I was expecting a win."
Men's pole vault champion Bryant Wilson from Grand Valley State on the competition in the pole vault:
"I felt like I could win it, but the competition was good, a lot of guys were over 17 feet."
Second-place finisher Jacob Williams of Missouri Southern State on his performance in the pole vault:
"I feel really good. Of course you want to come in and win it, I put myself a position to do it, but came up short. It was a great competition, and Bryant jumped well as always."
400-meter dash champion Leford Green of Johnson C. Smith on how it feels to be a national champion:
"It's a great feeling as a freshman."
Senior Randy Curry of St. Augustine's on his second-place finish in the men's 400-meter dash:
"It's very exciting, I'm just trying to enjoy it right now."
Adams State junior Josh Streeter on his third-place finish in the 400-meter dash:
"It feels really great. We've had a pretty up and down year this year, me especially. To com e here and run really well at the indoor championships feels really spectacular."
Jody-Ann Powell of Lincoln (Mo.) on her second-place finish in the women's 60-meter dash.
"I worked hard all season and it paid off."
Minnesota State sophomore Brittany Henderson on her third-place finish in the 60-meter dash:
"It feels good. I came in fifth and finished third so it was a great accomplishment."
Third-place finisher in the 60-meter hurdles, Jarret Eaton of of West Chester on his first nationals experience:
"I don't think it could have gone any better. My coach did a good job training me this year. I'm only a freshman and had nothing to lose. I just came out here to prove myself and I will be back next year."
Women's mile champion and third-place finisher in the 800-meter run, Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler on her expectations coming in:
"I expected to give my best shot."
South Dakota's Emma Erickson on placing first in the women's 800-meter run:
"That was unexpected but made it more awesome. To be the underdog and come out and do that. It blows me away how awesome all these athletes are. I'm just so happy I was able to compete at this level."
Coreen Ellis of SIU Edwardsville on her second-place finish in the 800-meter run:
"It feels really good. I'm so excited."
Minnesota State sophomore Denise Mokaya on how it feels to compete at nationals on his home track:
"I had so many friends here to support me. I wanted to give them something to make them happy."
Metro State's Anthony Luna on his third-place finish in the 800-meter run:
"It feels good. I was hoping to do better. It's an honor to run with the group of guys in the national finals."
Men's 60-meter bronze finisher Kawayne Fisher on competing at nationals:
"Competing in this championship is an honor, and that's the way I like it."
Rodney Coley of Albany State on how he prepares right before a race:
"I just try to block out everything. I clear the audience and just listen for the gun."
The second-place finisher in the 200-meter dash, Desmond Jackson of Abilene Christian on competing in multiple events as a freshman:
"I just separate myself from everyone else and think about doing my best to help earn a team championship."
Women's 200-meter dash second-place finisher Marcia Woolery on finishing in the top-three at nationals:
"It feels good to finish in the top-three. I am very excited."
Men's 5,000-meter champion Daniel Kanyaruhuru of Queens (N.C.) on what he was thinking during the 23-lap race:
"My plan was not to lead the race, but to follow. I like to follow and see how I fit in and go from there."
Men's 5000-meter runner-up Nate Peck on his feelings during the race:
"It was a slow start from the get go. I got to the straight away with about 200 meters left, got in second, and held on for dear life."
Men's 200-meter champion Bryan Haynes on whether he expected to come home as a national champion:
"No, not at all. I just wanted to place in the top-eight and get All-American."
Women's 200-meter dash champion Barbara Pierre on her performance:
"I was very surprised because I was ranked 13th, and ended up coming in first."
Women's triple jump runner-up Katelin Rains of Minnesota State on competing in her home facility:
"It was wonderful to be able to compete in my home facility. I am so comfortable on this track and it was a great opportunity."
Women's triple jump champion Omonike Kotey of Cal State L.A. on her first-place finish:
"It's a blessing."
Women's 5000-meter runner-up Mary Ballinger of Southern Indiana on her second-place finish:
"I feel great. I wanted to be an All-American and a second-place finish is great."
Women's 200-meter third-place finisher Indira Spence on her performance in the 200-meters:
"Right now I'm a freshman, so that means I have three more years, so you will be seeing me again, hopefully with a bigger trophy."
Men's 200-meter third-place finisher Dennis Boone of St. Augustine's on his performance:
"I feel pretty good. I messed up on a turn but I placed higher than I thought I would."
Women's 5,000-meter third-place finisher Ramsey Kavan of South Dakota on her effort in the 5K:
"I'm not gonna lie, I did feel exhausted, but somehow, I don't know deep inside me I was able to come up with some kind of kick, I don't know where it came from."
Women's Champion coach Damon Martin of Adams State College on his team's peformance:
"I'm just flabbergasted, it's been a real up and down year, the weather's been kind of poor and we've got off to a slow start, but we had a lot of great young ladies that stepped up to the plate and the assistant coaches did a great job, the sprinters and hurdlers that we had. We almost scored in every running event except for the 400-meter dash, so i"m really proud oand it was a great team effort."
Men's Champion Coach George Williams of St. Augustines on his team's performance:
"You always feel good when you win, we're happy that we've won, but we have to move on now. It's in the past. WE have to move on and hope that we get our team to gether and make sure they do what they come to school for. Academics-first, trac k-second, and a controlled social life-third. I always say the only way we can win is with good character and a good attitude. Talent doesn't always win it all."
Day 2 Notes
- Ashland senior Bryan Vickers, who on Thursday was named the Men's Field Athlete of the Year, finished first in the shot put Saturday. Vickers also placed third in the weight throw on Friday.
- The top-three finishers in the men's shot put were all seniors competing in their final Indoor Championships.
- Bemidji State's Sheena Devine won the women's shot put on the last throw, defeating Jessica Selby-Tallman of Missouri Southern State. Devine defeated Selby-Tallman in similar fashion last year.
- Women's high jump champion Megan Doyen of Grand Valley State came into competition with the #14 best height in the high jump.
- Wilbert Walker of Lincoln (Mo.) won both the triple jump and the long jump. Walker set an NCAA championship record in the triple jump in 2006, and also won a title in the long jump during the same season, but was not able to compete last year because of an injury.
- Junior Bryant Wilson of Grand Valley State won the pole vault for the second-consecutive year.
- St. Augustine's Barbara Pierre repeated as the women's 60-meter dash champion and went from being ranked 13th in the 200-meter dash to being crowned champion in the event.
- Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler repeated as the women's mile champion.
- Adams State won the women's championship with a team score of 55 points. St. Augustine's won the championship a season ago.
- St. Augustine's won the men's championship for the third-straight season.
Quotes
Minnesota State head coach Mark Schuck on hosting the 2008 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships:
"It's a great honor to do this. It is a tribute to our whole staff... Everyone has played a role and I am very impressed with that. It is a great honor for Minnesota State University, the community and the region. Everyone is playing a role."
Minnesota State junior pole vaulter Kaitlin Rains, who enters the meeting as the defending champion in the event, is excited that the meet is being held at Bud Myers Field House, on the campus of Minnesota State:
"We are extremely excited to be here with all our hometown fans, our families can come...we tapered really, really specifically this year for this meet, because there were two weeks between conference and nationals. We are really comfortable with where we are with our training and we are prepared to jump high."
Complete audio files of these interviews are available at www.msumavericks.com/podcasts.
Day 1 Quotes:
NCAA Administrative Assistant Shonna Brown on her experience thus far:
"This is a great facility. Kevin Buisman and his staff have done a terrific job getting ready for this event. The committee knew beforehand we were coming to a great facility and when we got here we knew it even more."
NCAA jumping and throwing official Richard P. Moss (Atlanta, Ga.) on the running surface inside Myers Field House:
"The track looks fast. It's a mondo track which is the fastest, best and most expensive. Mondo tracks are some of the best in the world."
Minnesota State University Director of Athletics Kevin Buisman on hosting the 2008 Indoor National Championships:
"The Mankato community is very excited about championships coming to Mankato. The past three weekends of championships are helping the economic development of Mankato and we're extremely pleased with the support we've received from the national committee and with the folks here in town."
Jessica Selby-Tallman, a senior competing in the shot put from Missouri Southern State University, and the performer of the National Anthem during the first day, on the facilities at Minnesota State University:
"The facilities are great, but to be honest, I was a little worried coming in, because I had only been to Boston for indoor nationals. It was hard to visualize throwing anywhere else but when I walked into the facilities, I thought, this is great, this is beautiful."
Ashland senior Robert Klenk on how he felt after finishing first in the men's weight throw:
"Feels pretty good. I was second the last two years...This is my senior year, and I just wanted to keep throwing further."
Adams State junior Matt Gersick on placing second in the nation in the weight throw:
"It feels great. I would have liked to have thrown farther but I have another year, we'll see if I can get it done then."
When asked if he expected to place as high as he did:
"I did, because I cam in last year ranked ninth and was the only one to no make All-American. It really fired me up."
Ashland senior Bryan Vickers on his expectations coming into the weight throw competition:
"To do the best that I could, wherever that could put me, my goal was to get second"
The women's third-place finisher in the weight throw, Western State junior Ashley Stephens on her expectations coming into the Championships today:
"I was hoping to get second, but third is good, its great to be an All-American."
First-place finisher in the weight throw, Ashland freshman Tara Cooper on being the only freshman in the field:
"There's no words I guess, it's just exciting."
On how she felt to place with a teammate:
"It's great to have my teammates, without them, I don't think mentally or physically I could have gone this far."
Ashland second-place finisher Michelle Stark in the women's weight throw on how much team support means to her:
"They are a huge support when you are out there, they give you an extra boost."
St. Augustine's junior Joe Kindred on how it felt to win the high jump:
"It feels great. I worked hard, got up here and had fun."
Corey Reynolds, a Missouri Southern State University sophomore, on his second-place finish in the high jump:
"I feel really good. I was happy with second-place."
Emporia State sophomre Alex Pyle on his preparation for the high jump. Pyle placed third in the event:
"I prepared just like every other event. I tried not to let the nerves get to me."
Ferris State's Amy Woodman after her first-place effort in the long jump:
"It feels Amazing. I'm from England and they don't have anything like this."
Findlay senior Kirby Blackley on finishing second in the long jump:
"It feels good, but it would have been better to be first. I expected to be first and to do my best."
Minnesota State junior Katelin Rains on winning back-to-back pole vault titles:
"It feels good to have my champion status back."
Her thoughts on the record breaking height she chose after already winning the competition:
"To pass a 4.30 (meter) height is a big jump nationally."
Minnesota State freshman Lauren Stelten on being among the nation's best after finishing second in the pole vault:
"It's a new feeling. I don't think it has sunk in yet. I'll probably wake up tomorrow and go...WOW!"
Jennifer Hansen, a junior from Slippery Rock, on finishing tied for third in the pole vault:
"It feels really good. This is a nice track. It's fast...I wish our facility was this nice."
Minnesota State-Moorhead junior Jennifer Hensel, who tied with Hansen for third, on her performance in the pole vault:
"I feel pretty good. I had a down year with all the injuries, but I got on a pretty big stick today...so it felt good."
South Dakota freshman Emma Erickson on her first experience at the NCAA Championships, after she and her distance medley relay teammates finished second:
"It feels awesome. I was really nervous, but after I got my first race out of the way, it was a lot more fun."
Adams State's Tonya Gaurmer describing her distance medley relay team's personality, after winning the event:
"We're goofy. We get nervous if we're too serious, we like to have a good time."
Members of the
Seattle Pacific women's distance medley relay team, talking about their team expectations, after placing third:
"We just planned to finish in the top-seven. We didn't know our full potential going into this."
Lincoln (Mo.) junior WIlbert Walker after winning the men's long jump:
"I won before, but last year I was hurt, now I'm back."
St. Augustine's junior
Joe Kindred after being asked how he felt about placing second in the long jump:
"I feel good. I just came out here and had fun. With the outcome I was going to be happy regardless."
Minnesota State sophomore
Kelvin Rodgers, who placed third in the long jump, on what inspires him to jump:
"I haven't jumped since seventh grade and I was playing around one day and I knew I could do it. I decided to try it at conference two weeks ago. Afterwards I was ranked 13th, so I was hoping to do good at Nationals."
Grand Valley State's
Nate Peck after the GVSU distance medley relay team finished first:
"Sure individual titles are great, but this I can share with three other people."
Members of the
Western State distance medley relay team after placing third, in reference to the beneficial attributes to the team:
"We have some pretty harsh conditions through the winter, it brings us closer together."
Notes
- The U.S. Track and FIeld Cross Country Coaches Association announced the 2007-08 Athletes and Coaches of the Year during their annual banquet, held Thursday evening at Otto Recreation Center.
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- Women's Track: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific University
- The Sammamish, Wash. native has the top time in both the 800-meters (2:07.37) and the mile run (4:38.23). She was a 2007 Indoor Champion in the mile event as a freshman. This year her time in the mile is 16 seconds faster than her next competitor. She was named the 2008 Great Northwest Athletic Conference's Most Outstanding Female Athlete after sweeping the 800-meters and the mile at the conference meet.
- Women's Field: Katelin Rains, Minnesota State University
- Rains, a junior from Spring Lake, Minn., has the top pole vault mark in Division II this year. The mark, 14’ ½”, was a new NCAA Division II pole vault record, a record Rains set last year. She is the reigning pole vault champion having won last year’s title as well. She is also ranked ninth on the triple jump list at the NCAA Championships after posting a school record leap of 38’ 9 ¾”. She owns ten North Central Conference titles, the most ever by a female Maverick student-athlete. She swept the NCC’s pole vault and triple jump competitions in 2008.
- Women's Coach: David Astrauskas, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Astrauskas joined the SIU-E family in 2002 and has been the head coach of the Cougars for the past two years. This year he led the women’s team to a first place finish at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor meet, the team’s fifth straight GLVC crown. The Cougars nearly tripled the runner-up at the conference meet after scoring 270 points. Astrauskas will lead a group of nine individuals at the Division II National Championships this weekend.
- Men's Track: Keith Gill, Stonehill College
- The Brockton, Massachusetts native became the first Stonehill track and field athlete to win a New England Indoor title when the senior posted a first place finish in the 1000-meter race (2:24.73). Gill, is the top seed in this weekend’s mile with a time of 4:03.43. He was named the Northeast-10 Conference’s Indoor Athlete of the Year for 2008.
- Men's FIeld: Bryan Vickers, Ashland University
- Vickers is a senior from Circleville, Ohio. He currently owns the farthest shot put throw in Division II this year with a 64’ ½” toss. He is also ranked fourth in the weight throw (62’ 4 ¾”). He was named the 2008 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Vickers won the 2007 Outdoor Shot Put Title.
- Men's Coach: Jud Logan, Ashland University
- Logan, in his third year as head coach of the Eagles, has had successive years with the men’s National Field Athlete of the Year. Last year, Ashland standout, Kibwe Johnson was selected. Logan was also named the 2008 GLIAC Men’s Coach of the Year and picked up his second Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year honor. He is a four-time Olympian in the throws. Logan will take 20 athletes to Mankato for the NCAA Division II National Championships.
- Ashland University had three athletes stand on the podium in the men's weight throw. Athletes and places include:
- First: Senior Robert Klent
- Third: Senior Bryan Vickers
- Eighth: Freshman Mike Jeffrey
- Ashland University placed three athletes on the podium in the women's weight throw competition as well. Athletes and places include:
- First: Freshman Tara Cooper
- Second: Junior Michelle Stark
- Sixth: Junior Elise Bottarini
- Minnesota State junior Katelin Rains won the pole vault with a new national indoor record of 14' 1-3/4" breaking her own previous national meet record of 14' and also breaking her own national Division-II indoor record of 14' 1/2". Rains' title makes four of the last five women's indoor pole vault titles for Minnesota State, with former Maverick Amanda Frame winning back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005, and Rains matching the effort in 2007 and 2008. Minnesota State went one and two in the event, as freshman Lauren Stelten finished second for the Mavericks.
- In the women’s 60-meter hurdle prelims, Adams State freshman Indira Spence set a new meet record with her 8.41 second qualifying time. The record was broken in the next heat however, as fellow freshman Shermaine Williams from Johnson C. Smith flew to a record-breaking 8.23 second effort.
