Weekly Release #19
6/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Upcoming Schedule
Wed-Sat., June 6-9 -- at NCAA Outdoor Championships (Sacramento, Calif.)
This Week: NCAA Outdoor Championships
The University of Michigan men's track and field team will send five competitors to the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday through Saturday (June 6-9) in Sacramento, Calif. Competition will begin with the multi-events at 10 a.m. PDT Wednesday and will be held at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium. For more information, including a complete schedule of events, visit the official meet website.
Schedule for U-M Athletes (Times PDT)
Wednesday, June 6 3:40 800-meter run (first round) 5:20 110-meter hurdles (first round) 7:10 110-meter hurdles (semifinal) Thursday, June 7 4:50 800-meter run (semifinal) 6:05 1,500-meter run (semifinal) Friday, June 8 1:45 Triple Jump (qualifying) 5:35 110-meter hurdles (final) Saturday, June 9 10:00 Triple Jump (final) 10:19 800-meter run (final) 11:10 1,500-meter run (final)Tracking the Wolverines
Fans can follow the Michigan men's track and field competitors with an in-depth look at the road to the pinnacle of collegiate track and field at the team's NCAA blog Tracking the Wolverines.
Michigan at the NCAA Championships
Michigan has one NCAA Outdoor team title to its credit, capturing the top honor in 1923 under head coach Stephen Farrell. U-M boasted a pair of individual champions that season with James Booker winning the pole vault competition and DeHart Hubbard claiming the long jump crown. Including the NCAA indoor meets, the Wolverines have produced a total of 44 NCAA event titles, including two relay titles, in its storied history.
Last season, the Wolverines sent three athletes to the NCAA Championships. Senior Michael Whitehead (East Norristown, Pa./Norristown Area) was the NCAA runner-up in the triple jump, recorded a school record of 53-11 1/4 to take second place in the nation. Junior Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest) couldn't advance out of the 1,500-meter run prelims, taking seventh place in his heat. Senior Stann Waithe (Towson, Md./Loch Raven) just missed advancing in the 400-meter dash when he placed third in his preliminary heat with a time of 46.70.
Ellerton's Return
After missing last season due to injury, fifth-year Andrew Ellerton (Sudbury, Ontario/Confederation) has returned as one of the nation's top runners, clocking the fastest time in the country in the 800-meter run. Ellerton achieved a mark of 1:46.84 to win the NCAA Mideast Regional crown, breaking his own track record, which he had set a day earlier in prelims at Missouri's Audrey J. Walton Stadium. Including the indoor season, Ellerton has won two conference titles in the 800-meter run and took second place in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Despite holding the fastest time in the nation, Ellerton is listed third in the event in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.
800-Meter Run 1. Andrew Ellerton, U-M 1:46.84Triple Threat
Michael Whitehead will be making his third appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Whitehead has the third-longest mark in the nation (53-4 1/4) and placed second at the Mideast regional meet with a mark of 51-10 1/2. He owns two conference titles in the event and is ranked seventh in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen even though he has recorded the third longest mark in the country. Whitehead's season best is just 2 3/4 inches shy of the top mark, belonging to Florida State's Muhammad Halim.
Triple Jump 1. Muhammad Halim, Florida State 53-7 (16.33m) 3. Michael Whitehead, U-M 53-4 1/4 (16.26m)
Port Authority
Junior Jeff Porter (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) will be trying for his second NCAA title of the year when he competes in the 110-meter hurdles. 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 puts Porter ninth in the nation. Just two weeks ago, Porter placed fifth in the event at the Mideast regional with a time of 13.78 to earn an automatic bid to NCAAs. The country's top time belongs to John Yarbrough of Mississippi (13.43). Porter currently ranks eighth in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.
Earlier in the year, 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.
110-Meter Hurdles 1. John Yarbrough, Ole Miss. 13.43 9. Jeff Porter, U-M 13.70
1,500-Meter Run
The Wolverines have two athletes competing in the 1,500-meter run -- sophomore Justin Switzer (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) and Mike Woods. Both athletes grabbed automatic qualifying marks when Woods took fourth (3:45.21) and Switzer took fifth (3:45.22) at the NCAA Mideast Regional. Switzer's Big Ten title winning time of 3:43.49 is the 24th fastest mark in the nation, while Woods' mark regional prelim time of 3:45.00 is ranked 27th in the country. The nation's best time belongs to Leonel Manzaon of Texas (3:40.21).
1,500-Meter Run 1. Leonel Manzano, Texas 3:40.21 24. Justin Switzer, U-M 3:43.49 27. Mike Woods, U-M 3:45.00
USTFCCCA Rankings (5/30/07)
1. Florida State 2. LSU 3. USC 4. Auburn 5. Tennessee 6. Oregon 7. Baylor 8. Arizona State 9. North Carolina 10. Texas 11. Washington 12. Wisconsin 13. Mississippi 14. Louisville 15. UCLA 16. Texas Tech 17. Arizona 18. Clemson 19. BYU 20. MICHIGAN Kansas Oklahoma
Contact: Tim Trunzo (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
