University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutewomen Will Host A-10 Championships
April 28, 2010 | Women's Track & Field
April 28, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass women's track and field team is set to host the Atlantic 10 Championships in Amherst on Saturday. The Minutewomen have been having an excellent outdoor season, and performing at home will be the just the right way to kick off post-season competition. The meet will begin Saturday, May 1 at 9:00 a.m. and will resume on Sunday, May 2 at 9:00 a.m. Live video, audio, and statistical coverage will be available on UMassathletics.com
Directions to the UMass Track and Field Complex, as well as total coverage of the A-10 Championships, can be found here:
Home Sweet Home
On Saturday, May 1 the Minutewomen will host the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship meet. This will be the second meet UMass has hosted this year, so the Minutewomen will be more than ready to put on a fantastic performance:
• At last year's A-10 Championships the Minutewomen took sixth place out of twelve teams:
• Lisa Wilson was the A-10 Champion in the discus (155-00) and grabbed second place in the shot put (44-08.75.)
• Molly Chapin placed third in the meet and third all-time at UMass (10-11.75) in the pole vault.
Scouting the Competition
This year's A-10 Championships should prove to be very exciting as many tough competitors from the A-10 top schools will be in Amherst on May 1st :
• Charlotte currently boasts the conference's top 100 meter hurdler and returning A-10 champ Sunita Brathwaite. Her teammate Sirrell Butler also leads the A-10s in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash.
• URI's Shayna Daugherty, the 2009 Atlantic 10 Field Performer of the Year, will return to defend her title in the high jump.
• Mallory Barnes of Dayton currently holds the Atlantic 10's top marks in the shot hammer throw and shot put.
Record Breakers
The success of the Minutewomen so far this season has had a lot to do with senior thrower Lisa Wilson. Wilson has broken two school records this season, and was named the Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week and UMass Athlete of the Week after her performance at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet:
• Lisa Wilson broke her own record in the shot put for the third time this season at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet, throwing for 48-00.75 and taking first place overall
• Wilson also bested her school record in the hammer throw at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet with a toss of 176-02.
Karen Roa has been a strong contributor for the Minutewomen in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Roa helped set a school record in the distance medley relay during the indoor season, and was able to get into the record books once again at the Larry Ellis Invite:
• Roa set the school record in the 3000 meter steeplechase (10:54.97) at the Larry Ellis Invitational.
All-Time Markers
As postseason competition gets underway, five Minutewomen have set UMass top five all-time marks:
• Nicole Pompei improved upon her standing in the UMass record books at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet as she vaulted for the third highest all-time mark in the pole vault (11-08.50).
• Junior Gina Perno set the fifth fastest all-time mark at UMass in the 800 meters (2:12.15) at the UNH Pre-Conference Meet.
• Freshman Nalis Mbianda set the third highest all-time mark in the shot put (44-04.25) at the Larry Ellis Invitational.
• Freshman Rachelle Bourque is now second all-time at UMass in the javelin after her throw of 137-02 at the UMass Nine-Way Meet.
• Also in the javelin at the UMass Nine-Way Meet, freshman Stefanie Danehy threw for a mark of 131-03, good for fourth all-time at UMass.
New England Qualifiers
Several Minutewomen have set qualifying marks for the New England Championships that will take place in May:
At the UNH Pre-Conference Meet (4/24):
• Holly Heinricher- 200 meters (25.36)
• Michelle Jenssen- 400 meters (58.60)
• Emma Riedel- 100 meters (12.57)
• Alexandra Haller- 400 meter hurdles (1:07.20)
At the Larry Ellis Invitational (4/17):
• Karen Roa- 3000 meter steeplechase (10:54.97)
• Shiyi Zan- 5000 meter run (17:48.14)
• Lauren Stocker- 5000 meter run (18:02.30)
• Elizabeth Fisk- 1500 meter run (4:43.37)
At the UMass Nine-Way Meet (4/10):
• Rachelle Bourque- javelin (137-02)
• Stefanie Danehy- javelin (131-03)
• Stephanie Aguguo- triple jump (38-01.25)
At the UConn Invite (4/3):
• Nicole Pompei- pole vault (11-05.75)
• Lisa Wilson- discus (139-03), hammer throw (167-01), shot put (43-02.25)
• Brittany Bakanowski- 400 meter hurdles (1:05.09)
• Courtney Baldwin- 1500 meter run (4:37.43)
• Stephanie Aguguo- triple jump (37-00.25)
• Gina Perno- 800 meters (2:14.05)
• Rachelle Bourque- javelin (128-03)
• Nalis Mbianda- shot put (41-09.75)
ECAC Qualifiers
Currently, two UMass athletes have qualified to compete at the ECAC Championships that will be held in Princeton, N.J.:
• At the UMass Nine-Way Meet (4/10):
• Lisa Wilson- shot put (45-10.00), discus (152-04)
• Rachelle Bourque- javelin (137-02)
• At the UConn Invite (4/3):
• Lisa Wilson- hammer throw (167-01)
How Do They Stack Up?
After last weekend's UNH Pre-Conference Meet, here is how the Minutewomen are stacking up against Atlantic 10 competition:
• Lisa Wilson ranks first in the discus (152-04), second in the shot put (48-00.75), and fourth in the hammer throw (176-02)
• Rachelle Bourque holds the conference's second best mark in the javelin (137-02),
while Stefanie Danehy is right behind in the third spot (131-03)
• Karen Roa holds the fourth best time in the 3000 meter steeplechase (10:54.97)
• Gina Perno ranks fifth in the 800 meters (2:12.15)
• Nicole Pompei holds the fifth highest mark in the pole vault (11-08.50)
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. They both had tremendous credentials heading into the season, and their impact has been evident since the season started.
For the field events, Coach Jackson's help can be easily seen. During both the indoor season and outdoor seasons, there have been five New England Championship qualifiers, two ECAC qualifiers, four UMass top five all-time mark setters, and a New England Championship title winner amongst the triple jumpers, long jumpers, and pole vaulters.
Coach Wilson has certainly helped the throwers immensely as well. Two top five all-time marks, two New England Championship qualifying mark, and an ECAC Championship qualifying mark were set in the javelin during this outdoor season. In addition, Wilson's presence can be felt due to the phenomenal years that Lisa Wilson and Nalis Mbianda are having in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw.
While the athletes have been having tremendous seasons in their own right, Coach Jackson and Coach Wilson have definitely been a giant part of the success for the Minutewomen's field athletes.
Players Mentioned
