27 Track & Field Athletes Honored by Landmark Conference
TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams have had a total of 27 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2014 Landmark Outdoor Championships last Saturday and Sunday hosted by The United States Merchant Marine Academy.
TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men's and women's indoor track & field teams have had a total of 27 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2014 Landmark Outdoor Championships last Saturday and Sunday hosted by The United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Third-year Head Coach Jesse Baumann and his staff of assistant coaches - Jonathan D'Ottavio (throws), Elijah Trusty (jumps), Mike Lawyrk (pole vault), Steve Rahn (sprints/hurdles), Alyssa Wert (sprints/relays), Bob Luciano (javelin), Gary Zack (javelin) and Micah Leonard (jumps) earned the Women's Coaching Staff of the Year honors as they led the women's squad to its seventh consecutive Landmark title in the seven-year history of the conference.
"Jesse Baumann and his staff do a stellar job with the Greyhound track and field programs," stated Athletics Director Scot Dapp. "Being named as the Landmark Conference Coaching Staff of the Year for women's Track & Field is no surprise as the Greyhound women strive for perfection and Coach Baumann and his staff guide them every step of the way."
The men's team had senior Kristopher Joint selected as the Field Athlete of the Year for a first time after winning the honor at the last two indoor meets while freshman jumper Kahron Walker was named the Co-Rookie of the Year after earning the honor this past March at the indoor championship.
Joint was a member of the Landmark All-Conference First Team for first place finishes in the triple jump for a second consecutive year and the long jump for the second straight outdoor meet.
"As expected, Kris finished off his career in the conference in a big way with another big meet in all three jumps," Baumann said. "He picked up two decisive wins in the long and triple jump, and even though it's not his forte, he helped out in the long jump by earning six points with a third place finish. He'll be very hard to replace next year."
Walker was a First Team honoree for winning the high jump for the second time this year at the conference meets.
"Kahron has had a great season for us in the jumps, in particular in the high jump where he has developed into a consistent 6'4" high jumper," Baumann stated. "This year we've experimented with him a little more in the triple jump and in particular the long jump than he has in previous years and he wound up responding extremely well in those events as well. He had a great conference meet, picking up big points in the triple jump and high jump, which is why he was selected for the freshman athlete of the year."
The Moravian men had three other champions earn First Team Honors with senior David Cariello capturing the pole vault and 110 meter high hurdle titles, junior Parker Munson winning the discus and freshman Cory Taggert finishing first in the 800-meter run.
The Greyhounds had eight student-athletes earn Second Team honors for runner-up finishes including junior Alec Duncan in the 1,500 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase, junior Dillon Farrell in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs, sophomore Albert Myers in the long jump, freshman Michael Guarino in the javelin, junior Jeffrey Gallagher in the hammer throw, freshman Greg Cahill in the discus, junior Chris Ossont and senior Yacine Zerdoum in the 400 meter dash.
Freshman Lauren Suelke and junior Jenny Kratch led the women's team as they were named the Rookie of the Year and Co-Field Athlete of the Year.
Suelke earned Second Team All-Conference accolades with second place finishes in the three jumps, the long jump, triple jump and high jump.
"Lauren had another great meet, predominantly in the field events, finishing 2nd in all three of the jumps, but she also set a really nice PR in the 100, breaking 13.0 for the first time in her career, to finish 4th in the finals," Baumann commented. 'Unfortunately the horizontal jumps were contested into the wind so the marks weren't as strong, but obviously in a championship meet setting it's more important to place well and gain points for the team, which she did by accumulating 29 in all four of her events."
Kratch, who shared the honor with Mary Clark from The Catholic University of America, was a three-time All-Conference Second Team selection by finishing second in the shot put, discus and hammer throw.
"Jenny has really taken off the past three months, especially in the hammer throw and most recently in the shot put, making immense improvements this year," Baumann said. "We've known for a while that she's capable of big marks like this, and now she's putting it all together, earning her second ECAC qualifying mark this weekend, and placing 2nd in three events."
Junior Morgan Redmond earned First Team honors in the 100 and 400 meter hurdles, and she joined with juniors Brielle Sutter and Brianna Wright and sophomore Corinne Glass for a first place finish in the 4x100 meter relay. Wright was an All-Conference First Team after winning the 100-meter dash in a meet record in 12.19 seconds while Glass captured the 200 meter dash title.
Junior Hailey Kester was named to the First Team after repeating as the champion in the pole vault while sophomore Christelle Reglas won the long jump. Junior Devon Bedell was first in the 3,000 meter steeplechase while junior Claire Del Casale was named to the First Team with her victory in the 10,000 meters.
Sutter also earned All-Conference Second Team honors in the 200 and 400 meter dashes. Junior Emily Lambright had a second place finish in the 5,000 meter run while freshman Meghan Newman was the runner-up in the 100 meter hurdles, junior Dana Fineman finished second in the pole vault and sophomore Tyler Clore placed second in the javelin to round out the women's Second Team honorees.
To view the full Landmark Conference Indoor Track & Field awards, visit http://landmarkconference.org/sports/track/2013-14/releases/2014050541sexv. Those student-athletes that won Landmark Conference titles earned All-Conference First Team honors while the runner-up in each event was named to the All-Conference Second Team.
