Results
OBERLIN, Ohio – Senior
Beth Muller became the first Allegheny runner to ever cop Most Valuable Performer recognition in the sprints/hurdles at the conference meet in leading the Gators to a third-place finish at the 2011 NCAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Muller pulled in two individual titles and scored a bevy of points while junior
Lauren Butler racked up her third consecutive league championship in the javelin.
Coming off a busy day on Friday, Butler paced the field corps with a first-place finish in the javelin (132'6”). Although she was unable to improve on her national seed, the third-year standout earned an NCAA provisional mark en route to the win. And while Butler was savoring her third javelin title in as many tries, rookie
Taylor Endress manufactured an enormous personal record en route to a third-place finish and NCAC All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades (106'9”).
The field contingent also produced three scorers in the hammer, with Kristen Collins' third-place effort paving the way. Collins tossed a PR of 137'2” to earn an all-league citation, while
Tova Feinberg delivered a huge PR to finish fourth (122'5”). Although Butler fouled on her last five attempts, her opening toss of 111'1” netted a seventh-place finish.
“We relied heavily on our throwers to carry us through this weekend, and they didn't disappoint,” exclaimed head coach
Brent Wilkerson. “Lauren (Butler) was all over the score sheet, and Kristen Collins continued to throw big in big meets. Tova (Feinberg) and Taylor (Endress) also performed incredibly well to give our team the boost we needed.”
Although the field unit enjoyed a tremendous weekend, senior sprinter
Beth Muller served up the heroics. Muller broke the tape in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes while setting a new school record in the 200m with a time of 26.13. Her final split in the 100m fell three one-hundredths of one second shy of bagging another school record (12.62), although she was rewarded with MVP plaudits after becoming the first Allegheny athlete to ever pull off the sprint sweep at the conference championships. Muller capped her NCAC career by leading the 4x100m relay to a fourth-place spot and the 4x400m relay to a fifth-place finish.
“Being the senior leader that she is, Beth was really incredible,” said Wilkerson. “With
Rebecca Lendyak unable to go this weekend, the pressure was on Beth to score big points, but two individual wins was just spectacular.”
Freshman
Kristina Martin authored an outstanding PR in the 3,000m steeplechase en route to runner-up honors. Finishing with a time of 11:11.91, Martin closed three seconds off the school record and one tick away from NCAA provisional cuts. Senior
Katie Stancik also shined in the race after finishing third with a PR of her own (11:16.66). Although the duo was fatigued, they showed tremendous toughness in doubling back with a strong 5,000m. Martin finished fifth in the event (18:29.39) while Stancik was seventh (18:34.01).
Kelly Gallagher and
Sara Mitrano, who finished fifth in the 1,500m (4:56.97), closed 12th and 13th in the 5k, respectively.
Other key results included rookie
Deedee Evans' third-place effort in the triple jump (34'),
Sarah Moss' fourth-place finish in the high jump, and senior
Stephanie Alberico's fourth-place finish in the 800m (2:21.34) with yet another personal record. Junior
Emily Norton closed seventh in the finals of the 100-meter hurdles (17.39) as Allegheny finished the day with eight All-Conference performers.
“The team really performed well. I can't say enough about distance runners who are willing to double back in the same day and our steeplechasers showed true guts. Stephanie (Alberico) was also tremendous, improving again when it mattered most. I'm so proud of how we competed throughout the whole weekend, and with many of our key scorers set to return, I'm hopeful that this weekend sets the stage for an even better follow-up next spring.”
Final Standings
Ohio Wesleyan – 262
Oberlin – 143
Allegheny – 132.5
Wooster – 103
Kenyon – 81
Wittenberg – 71.5
Denison – 23
