28 Greyhounds Honored by Landmark; Cheong, Cahill, Glass & Coaching Staff Earn Major Awards
TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men's and women's indoor track & field teams have had a total of 28 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2016 Landmark Championships last Saturday hosted by Susquehanna University as the Greyhounds continued their streaks of conference titles.
TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men's and women's indoor track & field teams have had a total of 28 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2016 Landmark Championships last Saturday hosted by Susquehanna University as the Greyhounds continued their streaks of conference titles.
Fifth-year Head Coach Jesse Baumann and his staff of assistant coaches - Jonathan D'Ottavio (throws), Racquel Farquharson (jumps), Mike Lawyrk (pole vault), Steve Rahn (sprints/hurdles) Michael El Kazzaz (pole vault), and Rob Shaffer (sprints) earned both the Men's and Women's Coaching Staff of the Year honors as they led the women's team to its ninth straight Landmark title and the men's squad to its seventh consecutive and eighth overall Landmark Indoor championship in the nine-year history of the conference. The women won by 85 points over Susquehanna while the men posted a 10-point victory over the host Crusaders.
"We are extremely proud of Head Coach Jesse Baumann and his talented coaching staff and congratulate them for being named the Landmark Indoor Track Coaching Staff of the Year," stated Director of Athletics and Recreation George Bright. "Jesse is an inspirational leader, an exemplary motivator who continues to raise the bar by implementing a championship culture for Moravian's outstanding track program. He does a great job every day requiring excellence from his student-athletes in the classroom and on the track."
The men's squad, which had 12 student-athletes earn 18 All-Conference honors, had junior thrower Greg Cahill selected as the Landmark Field Athlete of the Year.
Cahill was named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team for winning the weight throw, and he also earned All-Conference Second Team honors for a runner-up finish in the shot put.
"Greg was going against one of the best throwers we've seen in the Landmark since I've been here, and he managed to pull off a 1st and 2nd for some huge points for our team," said Head Coach Jesse Baumann. "They were two of his best throws of the season in both the shot and weight, and he managed to set a Championship record in the weight, so it was a well-deserved honor capping a great indoor season for Greg. He took a big step forward this season and showed he's capable of making an impact on not only the ECAC stage, but hopefully even the NCAA stage for the next year and a half."
Leading the Hounds with individual Landmark All-Conference First Team honors are seniors Ryan Karnopp in the pole vault, Gavin Bailey in the long jump, juniors Cory Taggert in the 800-meter run, Kahron Walker in the high jump, and freshman John Spirk in the 60-meter hurdles.
Garnering Landmark All-Conference Second Team finishes were junior Austin Gardener in the 200 meter dash, senior Ryan Sickler, who took second in the 60-meter hurdles, Taggert in the one mile run and Walker for his second place finish in the long jump. In the 4x200 meter relay the Hounds finished second with the team of Gardener, senior Tyler Dwyer, senior John Barr and freshman Chris Antoine while the 4x400 meter relay team of Bailey, Dwyer, Taggert, and sophomore Esco Blaylock also took home second place.
Senior Corinne Glass led the women's team, which had 16 student-athletes garner 18 All-Conference nods, as she earned Landmark Track Athlete of the Year honors. Glass was an All-Conference First Team selection by winning the both the 200 and 400-meter dashes.
"This indoor season is starting to feel a lot like her outdoor season last year when she got hot the last week or two before Landmarks, and then had a huge breakout at Conferences," commented Baumann about Glass. "In similar fashion, she had a great 200 at Princeton last week which I think really started to give her the confidence she needed headed into the weekend. On Saturday she looked dominant, nearly breaking 58 seconds in the 400, anchoring our 4x400 with a big come-from-behind victory, and running another sub-26 200 time as well. She's a tremendous athlete who we're hoping will be able to extend her season another two weeks."
Glass alongside of freshmen Anna Osman, Tamara Suchan and Maike Kirscher, took home the 4x400 meter relay title, while sophomore Melissa Cheong was named the Landmark Conference Co-Field Athlete of the Year.
"We ask a lot of athletes like Mel at meets like this, and she steps up for us every time. Its been a breakout year for her since her 5'6" high jump at Lehigh and her 17'9" long jump the following week, added Baumann. "She carried that success into Saturday placing second in the high and winning the long jump while racing back and forth with the hurdles in the middle of all of these events. She's a great athlete who will be a key contributor for our team the next few years at the conference meets, and we're hoping at NCAAs as well."
Junior Meg Brockett also took home two Landmark All-Conference First Team nods from her wins in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs. Also earning First Team honors were juniors Kiara Bright in the triple jump, Jackie Finnegan in the weight throw, sophomores Casie Cronk in the high jump, Beth Ann Davies in the pole vault, Cheong in the long jump and freshman Amari Schooler in the 60-meter hurdles.
The Greyhounds also had numerous student-athletes names to the Landmark All-Conference Second Team including Cheong for her finish in the high jump, senior Chelsea Swick in the pole vault, senior Christelle Reglas in the long jump, senior Abbey Clark in the weight throw, junior Rebecca Flitcroft in the 60-meter hurdles, and sophomore Ciara Stewart in the shot put.
The Greyhounds will compete at the ECAC Indoor Championships on Friday and Saturday March 4 and 5 at Ocean Breeze Complex in Staten Island, N.Y.
