University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Track Begins Outdoor Season Saturday
April 01, 2010 | Women's Track & Field
April 1, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass women's track and field team will kick off the outdoor season of competition this Saturday at the UConn Invitational (12:30 p.m.). The Minutewomen are coming off of a four week break from action as the indoor season concluded with the ECAC Championships on Mar. 3. The Minutewomen showed a lot of promise during the indoor season, and will look to start off the new season with a great performance.
Home Sweet Home
As the outdoor season gets underway, UMass is slated to host two meets in Amherst. The first will be the UMass Nine-Way Meet that will take place on Saturday, Apr. 10 at 11:30 a.m. Then in three weeks, the Atlantic 10 Championships will be held on Saturday, May 1 at 9:00 a.m.
Record Breakers
During the indoor season, three UMass school records were broken. Senior Lisa Wilson set a school record in the weight throw and broke her own school record in the shot put on four occasions. Wilson's record setting weight throw came at the Great Dane Invitational where she threw for a mark of 55-015.50. At the ECAC Championships, Wilson set the new shot put record of 45-05.75.
At the Giegengack Invitational, the distance medley relay team of Karen Roa, Michelle Jenssen, Gina Perno, and Courtney Baldwin set a UMass school record with a time of 11:49.37. The squad later went on to take third at the Atlantic-10 Championships.
A New England Champion
At the indoor track and field New England Championships, junior Stephanie Aguguo won the triple jump with a mark of 39-08.75. Aguguo, who was the top triple jumper for the Minutewomen during the season, moved up to second all-time at UMass in the event with her championship jump.
Freshman Phenoms
One of the most exciting and promising stories that came out of the indoor season was the amount of quality freshman that the Minutewomen brought to their team. Three UMass freshman all received Atlantic 10 Rookie Performer of the Week awards.
Nicole Pompei was the first to get the award, and was the team's top pole vaulter for the indoor season. She set the third highest all-time mark at UMass in the pole vault with a height of 11-11.75 at the Great Dane Invitational.
Courtney Baldwin was the second Minutewoman to receive the award. Baldwin was an extremely versatile performer who held down the team's top times in both the mile and 1000 meters. She also set a top five all-time mark in the 1000 at the New England Championships.
Rounding out the A-10 Rookie Performer of the Week award getters was Michelle Jenssen. Jenssen received the award for her efforts at the Giegengack Invitational where she was a member of the record setting distance medley relay team, a member of the 4X400 relay team that took third, and a fourth place finisher in the 400 meters.
But not to be outdone was freshman Nalis Mbianda. At the Great Dane Invitational and in only her first collegiate track meet, Mbianda set the second highest all-time mark in the shot put with a toss of 44-08.25. If Lisa Wilson did not protect her own school record with her toss of 45-01.75, Mbianda would have broken a school record in her first meet at UMass.
Coaching Changes Bring Success
Coming into the 2010 campaign, UMass track and field added two new faces to the coaching staff in David Jackson and Darcy Wilson. Jackson was previously a coach at UNC Chapel Hill and proved to be a valued member of the staff. Jackson helped to produce three All-Americans and four ACC Champions while at UNC. He will be in charge of the multi-event athletes for both the men and women.
Darcy Wilson joins the men's and women's staff after a stint at Keene State, where she served as an assistant coach for the track and field program. She has worked with several NCAA qualifiers and an NCAA Champion at the Div. III level. Throwers will be the main focus for Wilson on both the men and women.
