Division II Track and Field Championships Web Site

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Shippensburg University outdoor track and field programs, under the guidance of head coach Dave Osanitsch, will be sending its largest contingent in school history to the Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Nine athletes, all freshmen or sophomores, will be making the trip to California State Polytechnic University in Pomona for the 2008 Championships that will be held from May 22-24 at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California.
 
Last week, the 1,600-meter relay squad of sophomore Mary Dell, freshman Laura Henzy, freshman Erica Hess and sophomore Shannon Hare became the first outdoor relay team from Shippensburg to ever qualify for the Outdoor Track & Field Championships, having recorded an NCAA automatic qualifying time at a Last Chance Qualifier with a run in 3:46.06.

The relay effort is the sixth fastest time this season in Division II. Friday's effort from Allegheny College shaved five seconds off their previous best effort this season of 3:51.06.

Individually, Dell ranks sixth in the nation in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:10.09, an effort that was achieved when she set the school record in the event at Seth Grove Stadium in the Paul Kaiser Classic. Freshman Abby Huber also qualified for the event, ranking 21st in the nation this year with a time of 2:13.83.

Also on the women’s side, Hess qualified 16th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.68 seconds that was achieved in her first-place finish at the 2008 PSAC Championships. The effort is the best in the PSAC this season.

Four Red Raider athletes will be making their first trips to the National Championships after posting strong performances in their respective events during the outdoor season.

In the high jump, red-shirt freshman Leander Toney holds the second-best jump in the nation this season, as he broke the school record with a leap of 7' 1.75" at the Paul Kaiser Classic back in April. Freshman Brian Beegle, who won the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the PSAC Championships, qualified with the 13th-best effort in the nation this season with a time of 9:12.00.

Two throwers qualified in the javelin with top-15 efforts nationally. Freshman Josh Hostetler has the second-farthest throw in the conference this year and the sixth best in the nation with a throw of 209’2” at the Bison Outdoor Classic on April 11. Fellow freshman Glenn Bell qualified 12th in the event with a throw of 203’ 1” at the Paul Kaiser Classic.