Feb. 19, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Atlantic 10 time is here again as the La Salle track and field squad heads to the University of Rhode Island for the conference's indoor championships. The two-day event is slated to kick off at 9:00 AM on Friday, with the Explorers' first events starting at 1:00 PM.
The Explorer men boast the reigning 55 meter hurdle champion in Steven Rendall, who has hit eight IC4A qualifying times this season. Rendall clocked a 7.56 in both the preliminary and final to capture first in last year's indoor championship. His season-best time of 7.60 seconds ranks him third in the conference. Look for Charlotte's Korel Mack and Massachusetts' Tyler Cotto to contend as well. Mack's 7.50 is tops in the conference this season, while Cotto's best is just .02 ahead of Rendall.
The Explorers also boast five of the top 15 mile run times this season, with Korey Edwards (4:10.17) and Sean Mallon (4:10.60) at first and second in the conference. Sean Ward, David Alfano and Nick Crits also reside in the top 15.
Giving the Explorers a run for their money in the distance events will be Charlotte's Adu Dentamo, who captured gold at the Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship in the fall. Saint Joseph's Bobby Staten ran in the NCAA Cross Country Championship and will also be in the hunt, as well as a Massachusetts team that won the team cross country title in the fall.
The Explorer mid-distance runners will contend with four-time Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week Darius Law, who set the conference's top marks in both the 200 and 400 meters.
On the women's side is reigning 3,000 meter champion Christa Plummer. Plummer boasts the top conference times in both the 3,000 meter (9:45.44) and 5,000 meter (16:46.8) runs this season, and has the fourth-highest mile time (4:58.07). She qualified for ECAC's in all three events. Plummer will contend with two very strong distance runners in Charlotte's Aja Jackson and Amanda Goetschius. Goetschius captured the individual cross country title in the fall and Jackson clocked the conference's top mile time.
Meaghan Hobson will also be in the title hunt after hitting three ECAC marks in four tries this season. She qualified in both the 500 meter and 800 meter run, while boasting the third and second place times, respectively, in the conference. Hobson will face Dayton's Ashley Cattran, who provisionally qualified for NCAA's with a 2:07.34.
Live video streaming of the meet will be available on the Atlantic 10's Web site at www.atlantic10.com. Stay tuned to GoExplorers.com for complete results.
