Men's track search for championship qualifications

With just one week left in the regular track season, the men's track team is approaching this weekend's meet with anticipation and excitement. The Jumbos play host to a slew of teams at this Saturday's Last Chance Stampede, a meet that has much more personal than team importance.

The Stampede is the final opportunity for many athletes to qualify for the championship meets, which commence next weekend. These include the New England Div. III's, the All New Englands, which includes all divisions, the ECAC's (Div. III), and finally the NCAA's in the middle of March.

"There's a complete sweep of goals from team-oriented ones to personal ones," senior tri-captain Greg Devine said. "We're hoping to get a few more guys qualified for the ECAC's and potentially some for the nationals too."

At this stage, All-Americans Devine and fellow senior tri-captain Bryan Pitko will both be making the trip to DePauw University in Indiana for the NCAA's. The pair qualified in the 55 meter hurdles with times of 7. 66 and 7. 65 seconds respectively, two of the nation's top five times. Pitko, Devine and sophomore Nate Thompson (7. 92) are the top three hurdlers in New England.

Devine has also qualified for the Div. I All New Englands in the 200-meter dash, and Div. III All New Englands in the 55-meter dash.

Sophomore Ray Carre (50. 29) qualified for the All New Englands in the 400, and could join Devine in the 200 with a strong performance this weekend. Freshman Shawn Hansberry (1:22. 49) is currently the top seed in the 600-meter dash and is qualified through to the All New Englands. The vaulting team has strong contenders for qualification, led by freshman Seth LaPierre (4. 27 meters), who has a Div. I vault, while some of the throwers may gain qualification this weekend too.

One of the season's most exciting achievements has come in the 3000-meter run. The team has nine runners under nine minutes in the event, led by sophomore Nate Brigham, eight of whom have received ECAC qualification.

"Having nine guys in the 3000 under nine minutes is really big," assistant coach Ethan Barron said. "It really shows our depth. We're deep all around. "

For each championship meet the qualification times are progressively faster, and the distance requirements for the jumping and throwing events greater. This means that some athletes may qualify for every meet all the way through to the NCAA's, such as Pitko and Devine have done, while others may only qualify for the earlier championships. The importance of this final chance is not lost on the team.

"We'll be out there hooting and hollering for them," Devine said. "We'll be cheering it up [from the sidelines]."

Devine will not race this weekend as he continues to rest an injury sustained two weeks ago in the 55 meter dash. However, many other team members will be competing hard in search of a berth in the championships.

"It's everyone's chance to improve their seeding," Barron said. "It really is the last chance for a lot of people."

If an athlete does not qualify, however, it is not necessarily the end of the road for him, according to Coach Connie Putnam. The team can enter the competitor under a "provisional standard." This allows them to be on a reserve list, from which they may be called upon to compete, if on the day of the championship meet another athlete fails to appear for his event.

"The people with provisional standards stay alive until the athletes check in at the field," Coach Putnam said. "The fields end up with about thirteen or fourteen [competitors] in each, which really spruces up the meet."

The relay teams are one part of the team looking to post good times. The 4x400 relay team is seeded number two in the nation, while the distance medley relay team (DMR), yet to be finalized, is also a strong contender for qualification.

"We'd really like to see the relay teams qualified," Devine said. "It gets some more bodies out there, and it's a fun trip [to the NCAA's]."

Barron agreed. "We're hoping the DMR does well; we're putting together a real 'A' team," he said. "It's the first event so everyone will be fresh, and hopefully we'll knock out a good time."

The men's track and field team meets are this Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the Gantcher Center.