December 5, 2010 -- CNU Holiday Open
Post date: Feb 9, 2011 2:44:06 AM
The Captains opened the 2010-11 Indoor Track & Field season on their home track for the Holiday Open. Junior Dira Hansen’s 800m was the team’s performance of the meet – a new School Record and Provisional Qualifier for the Division III National Championships.
Hansen Opens Captains’ Season With Record Run
800m Qualifier Among 12 Team PRs
The Captains opened their Indoor Season as usual with the Holiday Open on the first weekend of December. Most of the Cross Country team extended their fall season training to go for fast times on their home track – and they did just that. Fastest of all was junior Dira Hansen (Culpeper, VA) who’s resume included Provisional Qualifying Marks in events ranging from the High Jump to the 400m Hurdles in previous seasons along with two near-qualifying runs in Cross Country. Now she can add the 800m to her list of Nq events.
From the gun, Hansen set the pace to go after the 25-year-old School Record held by Karen Humphrey at 2:17.04. Hansen was easily on pace and clear of the field for three laps before Concord’s Shawnee Carnett challenged and passed her on the final circuit. Carnett helped drag Hansen across the line in 2:16.00 – a new Record and the first National Qualifier on the Division III 800m lists. Michelle Stauffer (Fort Valley, VA) posted her second fastest indoor 800m time (2:28.21) and freshman Jessica McClelland(Stafford, VA) made her collegiate indoor debut with a 2:29.63.
In the men’s race, Matthew Winkler (Palmyra,VA) clocked his second fastest indoor 800m ever to finish third in 1:57.63. Scott Teribury (Woodbridge, VA) did likewise with his 2:00.21 to hold off rookie Shaowei Tu’s (Mechanicsville, VA) 2:00.64.
The milers had a good day, too, with Laurie Murphy (Louisa, VA) opening the season at a CNU #4 All-Time 5:21.17. Sophomore Emily Whitby (Alexandria, VA) cut her indoor best by 5 seconds to 6:19.62. Corey Lofton (Vienna, VA) led all-comers across the line in the men’s race with a seven second PR 4:28.83. Senior Jeff Ball (Chesapeake, VA) slashed 14 seconds from his previous best to 4:35.29. Daniel Austin (Culpeper, VA) (4:44.40) and Scott Wright (Oak Hill, VA) (5:03.01) also netted indoor PRs.
Ray Gamache (King George, VA) entered new territory in the 5,000m. He dropped 45 seconds off his PR (and missed CNU’s Top-10 List by 0.2 seconds) finishing in 15:48.47. Joshua Bowling (Crewe, VA) (16:20.19) and William Kirk (Mechanicsville, VA) also set new bests at 16:20.19 and 16:23.63, respectively, with Patrick Cunningham (Williamsburg, VA) tagging along for a 16:25.11 debut.
A couple of freshmen overcame the collegiate-debut jitters with notable performances in the vertical jumps. Jenna Elliott (Fredericksburg, VA) cleared 1.52m/4-11.75 in the High Jump – an inch shy of her indoor PR and virtually equal to the #10 performers on the CNU All-Time List. Alexander Hurd (Stafford, VA) matched his indoor best in the Pole Vault – and then kept going for another four heights. His final clearance was 3.66m/12-0. Brittany Jacobs (Warrenton, VA) and Cheria Jackson (Woodbridge, VA) started in indoor season with 16’ landings in the Long Jump (Jackson at 4.92m/16-1.75 and Jacobs at 4.90m/16-1) and 10.87 second runs over the 60m Hurdles (a PR for Jacobs). Freshman Noel Bartley (Waynesboro, VA) matched her elders in the hurdles and sophomore Olivia Green (Fairfax, VA) followed them with her first landing over 15’ in the Long Jump indoors (4.58m/15-0.5).
The Captains are off for Finals and the holidays before returning to work in the New Year. Next on the schedule is the Maryland Terrapin Invitational in mid-January.
For complete CNU Results, check out the Results Page.