VIDEO: CAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Pre-Championship Webcast
Christopher Newport claimed its third straight indoor title at the 2016 CAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship, making the Captains a perfect three-for-three at the indoor meet since joining the CAC in the 2013-14 school year.
The Captains will once again serve as the host of the championship meet, beginning Saturday morning at the Freeman Center on the CNU campus.
A number of CAC athletes have put together stellar performances this winter, with several records and NCAA top times being posted. The list of performers includes CNU's Logan Harrington, who captured indoor athlete of the year honors at last year's meet.
This year's meet will feature eight teams for the first time, as Southern Virginia added track & field as a varsity sport this season.
Below is a team-by-team preview entering the championship meet:
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT is looking to claim its fourth straight CAC Indoor Championship after winning the first three league crowns since joining the conference in 2013-14. Led by head coach Tyler Wingard, the Captains welcome back four All-Conference performers from last year, including reigning CAC Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year Logan Harrington. So far this year, Harrington boasts the conference's top time in both the 800 and mile. Meanwhile, Hannah Bowden is ranked first in the conference in the long jump after winning the league title last year, while Hannah Shoemaker sits first in the shot put.
FROSTBURG STATE heads into the CAC Championships behind the strength of several of the league's top athletes. Junior Kayla Truesdel, a four-time All-CAC performer, boasts three of the CAC's top times in the 60 (7.85), 200 (25.87) and 400-meter dashes (1:00.08). She is currently 14th in the nation in the 60, 22nd in the 200 and she has easily qualified for the ECAC Championships in all three. Bobcat freshman Eileen Estrada enters her first league championship meet ranked second in the triple jump (10.29 meters), while Frostburg is also ranked third in the 4x400-meter relay (4:13.12) and fourth in the distance medley relay (14:16.59). Junior Zoe Harris leads the throwers at sixth in the shot put at 10.89 meters.
MARY WASHINGTON will look to All-CAC junior Janel Moore, as well as top freshman Erin Andrewlevich and senior Sheree Turner, to score top points this winter. Freshmen Quintasia Horsley and Kristy White have turned in top performances during the season, and veterans Bailey Ratliff, Jillian Weisbeck, and Danielle Holzhauser will also look to provide production for the Eagles, who bring a young, talented squad to this year's Championships.
PENN STATE HARRISBURG will be competing in its third CAC Championship this weekend. The Lions return a number of key performers from last year's squad that took sixth place at the indoor meet. Sophomore Ashley Williams is back, who won the 60 meter hurdles at last year's championship to become the first athlete to win a CAC individual title for Penn State Harrisburg. Other key performers for the Lions include Logan Akers, Rachale Hair, and Veronica Repetz.
SALISBURY will be led by senior Meghan McGowan. McGowan captured back-to-back wins at the Patriot Games and Vince Brown Invitational in the high jump. Her jump of 5' 7.75" at the Patriot Games broke the Salisbury record and ranks her third in NCAA Division III while also earning her CAC weekly honors as Athlete of the Week. Freshman Kyleigh Dumas will look make an impact in her first CAC Indoor Championship. Dumas turned in an impressive jump at the Vince Brown invitational where she captured a third-place finish after recording a height of 10' 10". In the track events Alison Schwartz will look to continue her success from the regular season. Schwartz earned a personal record in the 3000-meter run at George Mason coming in at a time of 11:04.94. Jamie Farley will also look to make an impact at the CAC's. Farley is one of the top CAC athletes in the 200-meter and 400-meter.
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA is excited to participate in its first-ever CAC Championship event. The top performer of the young team has been Sydney Bigelow in numerous mid-distance events. The team hopes to use the meet as a springboard for outdoor events and seasons to come.
After being ranked as high as 17th in the USTFCCCA rankings and finishing second in the 2016, WESLEY looks to impress in the indoor championships. The Wolverines are led on the track by All-American sprinters Elizsha Streeter, Briana Artis, Quadira Minus and Angel Hall. Freshman jumper Jasmine Brown was named an ECAC Rookie of the Week earlier in the season and holds the sixth-best mark in Division III in the high jump so far this indoor season with a jump of 1.70 meters. Sophomore Jourdyn Beverly will pace the throws for the Wolverines after recording the best mark in the CAC in the weight throw (15.64m) and the second-best heave in the shot put (12.07m).
YORK heads into the 2017 championships looking to make a jump in standings of the championship finishers. York is led by a strong distance group led by Kathleen Cannon, Jess Delviscio, Alicia Dillman, and Alayna De Bruin. Sprinter and hurdler Ericka Quenzer comes into the championships looking to build off a strong second half of the indoor season as she established a new school record in the 60 meter hurdles late in the regular season. Freshman Georgia Gillcrist set a new school record in the 200 meter run as she should contend for points in the sprints for York.