Feb. 18, 2006
Results
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy junior Justine Whipple (Duxbury, Mass.) won the 5,000-meter run as the Midshipmen ended Saturday's action with 46 points to place second in the 2006 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championship hosted by Navy at Halsey Field House.
Defending league champion Bucknell heads into the final day on top of the field with 74 points, followed by Navy's 46 points, Lehigh and Lafayette's 26 points, Army's 25 points, Colgate's 10 points, Holy Cross' six points and American's four points.
Whipple earned First-Team All-Patriot League honors in the event for her first-place time on Saturday. The junior ran the 5,000 meters in 17:10.38, more than 12 seconds ahead of the second-place runner from Lehigh.
Senior Cayanne McFarlane (Fairbanks, Alaska) came away with second-team all-league honors in the 20-lb. weight throw. McFarlane recorded a personal best and ECAC qualifying throw of 53'4-1/4" (16.26 meters) to place second behind Marjorie Grap of Bucknell, who broke the Patriot League Championship record with a 63'6" (19.35 meters) toss. Senior indoor captain Yasmin Sauls (Raleigh, N.C.) qualified for the finals in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.55 seconds, the second-fastest effort of the season.
"We had some very good performances today," stated Navy head coach Carla Criste. "Our captains (Yasmin Sauls and Cayanne McFarlane) really stepped up and set a good tone as Yasmin qualified in the 200 meters and Cayanne smashed her personal best in the weight throw."
Junior Kirsten Andrews (New Holland, Pa.) also placed second in the pole vault to garner all-league honors. Andrews cleared 12'3-1/2" (3.75 meters) to record her fifth-consecutive ECAC qualifying mark. In addition to the pole vault, the junior broke her career-record twice in the 55-meter hurdles on Saturday. Andrews registered an 8.15-second time in the prelims before topping that effort with an 8.14-second showing to pace the semifinal field heading into tomorrow's finals.
"I am really proud of Kirsten's efforts," said Criste. "She was excellent in the pole vault and I am anticipating a great performance in the 55-meter hurdles tomorrow."
Classmate Danielle Still (Lawnside, N.J.) came back from competing in the pentathlon yesterday and qualified for three event finals on Sunday. Still finished right behind Andrews in the 55-meter semifinals with a time of 8.23 seconds to place second. The junior then advanced in the 55-meter dash, courtesy of a 7.37-second clocking and moved on in the 200-meter dash with a 26.16-second effort.
"Danielle really impressed me today," Criste commented. "Her ability to rebound from yesterday and qualify in three events for tomorrow was exceptional."
Sophomore Jacquelyn Charnigo (Medina, Ohio) scored valuable points in two events on the second-day of the championship for the Midshipmen. Charnigo, last year's Patriot League Championship Rookie of the Meet, posted a season-high and matched her career-high mark of 11'9-3/4" (3.60 meters) to place third and advance to the ECAC Championship. Earlier in the day, the sophomore notched a fourth-place height in the high jump with a clearance of 5'3" (1.60 meters).
Another bright spot for Navy came from junior Priscilla Lewis (St. Andrews, Jamaica). Lewis smashed her career-record in the 55-meter dash twice on Saturday, as she crossed the finish line in 7.34 seconds during the prelims then finished with a 7.33-second time to advance to the finals on Sunday.
The third and final day of the 2006 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championship takes place tomorrow in Annapolis, starting at 10 a.m. Tickets for the final day of the championship can be purchased at the gate inside the main entrance of Halsey Field House, $5 for adults, $3 for children and free to Midshipmen.
