Track athletes represent
John Anderson
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: Sports
This Friday and Saturday, six track and field athletes will represent Hillsdale College at the NCAA Division II National Indoor Championships. They will challenge the best Division II athletes from around the country in their respective events.
Hillsdale is sending weight throwers Jason Stomps, a junior, and sophomore Aaron Falk, junior high-jumper Andrew Dodson, and sprinters Jared Krout, junior Jazmin Williams, and freshman Marta Scheiwe.
Falk gives much credit to the team's coaches for the quality of his throws and his opportunity to attend Nationals, especially to assistant head coach Jeff Forino.
"If he can take a couple guys like us - walk-ons - and make us into national level athletes, then he's got some special ability," Falk said of Forino.
Several athletes just missed competing. Freshman Justin Dailey, a weight thrower, was ranked 17th but the NCAA takes only the top 16.
This is the first time the team will be competing at the University of Minnesota. The event was held in Boston for the past seven years.
Head coach Bill Lundberg said the athletes are unfamiliar with the particular venue at Minnesota, but the facilities there are similar to ones they have encountered at other schools - particularly Findlay where the team has competed this season.
Forino said the facilities are of such a quality the throwers' performance "should be consistent."
Falk said he presumes the facilities will be on par with the quality expected at a national meet.
Williams, a veteran of four national championships at Boston, said she is not worried about the new competing environment.
"We kind of know what to expect because we've been racing on flat tracks lately," she said.
Hillsdale is sending weight throwers Jason Stomps, a junior, and sophomore Aaron Falk, junior high-jumper Andrew Dodson, and sprinters Jared Krout, junior Jazmin Williams, and freshman Marta Scheiwe.
Falk gives much credit to the team's coaches for the quality of his throws and his opportunity to attend Nationals, especially to assistant head coach Jeff Forino.
"If he can take a couple guys like us - walk-ons - and make us into national level athletes, then he's got some special ability," Falk said of Forino.
Several athletes just missed competing. Freshman Justin Dailey, a weight thrower, was ranked 17th but the NCAA takes only the top 16.
This is the first time the team will be competing at the University of Minnesota. The event was held in Boston for the past seven years.
Head coach Bill Lundberg said the athletes are unfamiliar with the particular venue at Minnesota, but the facilities there are similar to ones they have encountered at other schools - particularly Findlay where the team has competed this season.
Forino said the facilities are of such a quality the throwers' performance "should be consistent."
Falk said he presumes the facilities will be on par with the quality expected at a national meet.
Williams, a veteran of four national championships at Boston, said she is not worried about the new competing environment.
"We kind of know what to expect because we've been racing on flat tracks lately," she said.
Be the first to comment on this story