Weekly Release #18
5/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., May 25-26 -- at NCAA Mideast Regional (Columbia, Mo.)
Wed-Sat., June 6-9 -- at NCAA Outdoor Championships (Sacramento, Calif.)
This Week: NCAA Mideast Regional
The University of Michigan men's track and field team will send 11 different individuals to the compete in nine events at the 2007 NCAA Mideast Regional Friday and Saturday (May 25-26) at Missouri's Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Competition will begin at 11 a.m. each day, with track events beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, including a complete schedule of events, visit the Mideast Regional website.
Schedule for U-M Athletes (Times CDT)
| Friday, May 25 | |
| 11 a.m. | Hammer Throw (trials and finals) |
| 3:30 p.m. | 1,500 Meters (prelims) |
| 4:10 p.m. | 110m Hurdles (prelims) |
| 4:50 p.m. | 100 Meters (prelims) |
| 5:30 p.m. | 400 Meters (prelims) |
| 6:10 p.m. | 800 Meters (prelims) |
| 7:50 p.m. | 200 Meters (prelims) |
| Saturday, May 26 | |
| 4 p.m. | Triple Jump (trials and final) |
| 4:20 p.m. | 1,500 Meters (final) |
| 4:45 p.m. | 110m Hurdles (final) |
| 5:05 p.m. | 100 Meters (final) |
| 5:15 p.m. | 400 Meters (final) |
| 5:25 p.m. | 800 Meters (final) |
| 6 p.m. | 200 Meters (final) |
| 7:05 p.m. | 4x400m Relay (final) |
The NCAA Mideast Regional
In 2003, the NCAA adopted a regional-qualifying format for the NCAA Championships, which divided the country into four separate regions. A student-athlete must finish in the top five of an individual event or be a member of a top-three relay at the regional championship in order to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships. The track and field committee will also select a group of at-large athletes to round out the remainder of the Championships field in each event.
The Wolverines have boasted five individual event champions through four previous regional appearances. Last season, the Wolverines took 23rd place (12.5 points) at the NCAA Mideast Regional.
U-M Regional Qualifiers
The Wolverines have qualified 13 individuals to the NCAA Mideast Regional, representing 11 different events (three sprint, two hurdles, two middle distance, one distance, one relay and two field events). Among the qualified U-M competitors, four will be making their collegiate debut at the NCAA regional meet; the remaining seven have previously attended. Sophomore Lex Williams (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter) and junior/sophomore Dan Harmsen (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) will not be able to compete in their respective events.
Event (Qualifying Standard) Name Time/Mark Date Set 100-meter dash (10.50) Adam Harris 10.48 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors 200-meter dash (21.19) Adam Harris 21.18 5/12 Big Ten Outdoors 400-meter dash (47.20) Andrew Wechter 47.11 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors 800-meter run (1:50.40) Andrew Ellerton 1:47.87 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors John D'Arcy 1:50.17 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors 1,500-meter run (3:47.80) Lex Williams 3:42.38 4/21 EMU Twilight Justin Switzer 3:43.49 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors Mike Woods 3:45.73 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors Sean McNamara 3:47.34 5/4 Len Paddock Invite 5,000-meter run (14:12.00) Lex Williams 13:52.94 3/31 Stanford Invite 110-meter hurdles (14.30) Jeff Porter 13.70 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors 400-meter hurdles (52.51) Dan Harmsen 51.92 4/21 EMU Twilight 4x400-meter relay (3:10.00) Barnes, Ellerton 3:08.86 5/13 Big Ten Outdoors D'Arcy, Wechter Triple Jump (49-2 1/2) Michael Whitehead 53-4 1/4 5/4 Len Paddock Invite Hammer Throw (182-5) Brendan Lodge 185-4 5/11 Big Ten Outdoors
Triple Threat
Senior Michael Whitehead (East Norristown, Pa./Norristown Area) has recorded the longest triple in the region going into this weekend competition. He landed a regional qualifying mark of 53-4 1/4 C 3 1/2 inches longer than the next best mark in the conference (53-0 3/4), recorded by Nkosinza Balambu of Arkansas. Whitehead is ranked fourth in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen, with three of the top four spots held by competitors in the Mideast Region. Two weeks ago, Whitehead won his second Big Ten crown in the event.
Port Authority
Junior Jeff Porter (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) is competing for the 110-meter hurdles crown to win his second NCAA title of the year. Porter set a new personal record in the 110-meter hurdles at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on May 11-13, blazing a time of 13.70 to crush his previous best of 13.79 and win the third Big Ten title of his career. The time ranks Porter fifth in the Mideast Region. The regions top time belongs to John Yarbrough of Mississippi (13.43). Porter currently ranks ninth on the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.
Porter won the NCAA crown in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships March 10-11 to claim All-America honors for the second time in his collegiate career.
Three Out of Four Isn't Bad
Throughout the outdoor season, the Wolverines have had four athletes grab NCAA regional marks in the 1,500-meter run -- Lex Williams, sophomore Justin Switzer (Waterford, Mich./Kettering), junior Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest) and sophomore/freshman Sean McNamara (Elmhurst, Ill./York) (3:47.34). Unfortunately, Williams, who clocked the second-fastest time in the conference (3:42.38), will not be able to compete due to illness. Switzer's Big Ten title winning time of 3:43.49 is good enough for the sixth-best in the region, while Woods (3:45.73) and McNamara (3:47.43) rank 21st and 33rd respectively. The best time in the region belongs to South Alabama's Vincent Rono (3:41.73).
800-meter Run
After missing last season due to injury, fifth-year Andrew Ellerton (Sudbury, Ontario/Confederation) has returned, winning two Big Ten titles in the 800-meter run and placing runner-up in the event at the NCAA Indoor meet. He has recorded the fourth-fastest time in the region -- a mark of 1:47.87. LSU's Jamaal James has the top time in the region with a mark of 1:47.00. Ellerton is ranked eighth in the 800-meter run in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.
Also competing in the 800-meter run for the Wolverines is senior John D'Arcy (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont). His time of 1:50.17 ranks 23rd on the Mideast Regional performance list and marks D'Arcy's first individual regional qualifying time.
The Tortoise and the Harris
Sophomore Adam Harris (Wheaton, Ill./North) boasted two NCAA regional qualifying performances at the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago. Harris earned a spot in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.48 to place runner-up at the conference meet. His time ranks 20th on the NCAA Mideast Regional performance list.
During 200-meter dash prelims at the conference meet, Harris clocked a time of 21.18 to qualify for regionals. He would go on to place fourth in the conference in that event. Harris' time ranks 31st in the region.
400-meter Dash / 4x400-meter Relay
Junior Andrew Wechter (Shelby, Ohio/Shelby) will be competing in both the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay for the Wolverines. His 400-meter dash time of 47.11 ranks 33rd in the region and is his first individual appearance at the NCAA Mideast Regionals.
Wechter will serve as the anchor of the 4x400-meter relay squad. Joining Wechter will be sophomore Andre Barnes (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield), Andrew Ellerton and John D'Arcy. At the Big Ten Championships, the squad clocked their regional qualifying time of 3:08.86. The time ranks 16th on the NCAA Mideast Regional performance list.
Hammer to Fall
In his first outdoor season, sophomore/freshman Brendan Lodge (Narragansett, R.I./Bishop Hendricken) qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional in the hammer throw after landing a mark of 185-4 at the Big Ten Championships. The mark is the second-highest in U-M school history and ranks 32nd in the region.
On the Horizon
After another two-week hiatus, the Wolverines send their qualified competitors to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.
Contact: Tim Trunzo (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
