Weekly Release #13

Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., April 14-16 -- at Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)
Saturday, April 15 -- at Ohio State Quadrangular (Columbus, Ohio)

Michigan Heads West for Prestigious Mt. SAC Relays
Stiff competition from around the world awaits the University of Michigan men's track and field team at the Mt. San Antonio College (SAC) Relays on Friday through Sunday, April 14-16, at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif. Athletes from International teams of Brazil, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Canada and Jamaica will join a contingent of elite American colleges and universities. Ten of the top 22 ranked teams in the latest Trackwire Top 25 will be competing against the Wolverines. This list includes No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Florida, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Southern Cal, No. 8 Southern Methodist, No. 11 UCLA, No. 12 Arizona, No. 19 Alabama, No. 20 Washington State and No. 22 Colorado State.

Lawrence Hopes for Repeat Performance
Michigan distance runner Steve Lawrence (Consecon, Ontario/East Northumberland HS) is slated to compete in the 5,000-meter run at this weekend's Mt. SAC Relays. When Lawrence lines up for the 5,000-meter run he will be looking to match or better his performance there a year ago, when he raced to an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 13:57.68. Lawrence's time of 13:57.68 was a Michigan season best in 1999. Lawrence has already provisionally qualified for the 2000 NCAA Championships in the 10,000-meter run (29:07.43), which he ran at the Stanford Invitational (March 25).

Mortimer Set Kick Off Outdoor Campaign
Four-time track and field All-American John Mortimer (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry HS) is set to run in his first event of the outdoor season at the Mt. SAC Relays. Mortimer, who competed in very limited action during the indoor season due to injury, is slated to run in the 5,000-meter run with teammates Mike Wisniewski (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS) and Steve Lawrence. Mortimer earned All-America honors in the 5,000-meter run in 1998 with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

Mt. SAC Relays Record Books Full of Track Legends
To understand just how prestigious the Mt. SAC Relays are, one needs to look no further than the legendary track and field names littered throughout the Mt. SAC Relays record books. Multiple Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis holds the long jump mark of 28-5, which he set in 1987. Lewis' fellow 1984 Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses set the Mt. SAC Relays record in the 400-meter hurdles (47.89) in 1979.

Molnar Paces Wolverines at Duke Invitational
Michigan senior sprinter Steve Molnar (Menominee, Mich./Menominee HS) enjoyed his best weekend of the outdoor campaign at the Duke Invitational (April 7-8). Molnar won the developmental 100-meter dash with a time of 10.84, which is a Michigan season best for that event. Molnar also competed in the developmental 200-meter dash and recorded a personal-best time of 21.83 to place runner-up. Molnar's time of 10.84 in the 100-meter dash is the fifth fastest in the Big Ten this season.

Applewhite Matches Molnar
Joining Steve Molnar as Michigan's other event winner at the Duke Invitational was sophomore Derek Applewhite (Brighton, Colo./Brighton HS), who won the developmental 110-meter hurdles in 14.56. Applewhite's time of 14.56 in the 110-meter hurdles is a Michigan season best and fifth fastest in the Big Ten this season.

Lamb Leads Wolverines in 400
Sophomore sprinter Kevin Lamb (East Lansing, Mich./Haslett HS) competed in the open race of the 400-meter dash at the Duke Invitational this past weekend. Lamb raced to a Michigan season-best time of 47.77, which places him fifth in the Big Ten. Right behind Lamb in the Big Ten rankings is teammate Anthony Wishart (Yellow Springs, Ohio/Bellview HS), who is ranked sixth in the conference in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.89, which he recorded while placing sixth in the developmental 400-meter dash at the Duke Invitational.

Michigan Trio Impresses in the 5,000
Michigan owns the top three 5,000-meter times in the Big Ten after a trio of Wolverines finished among the top 16 in the open race of the 5,000-meter run at the Duke Invitational. Mike Wisniewski led the Michigan charge in the 5,000-meter run by placing third with a Michigan season best and personal-best 14:10.78. Wisniewski was followed by Jay Cantin (Camlachie, Ont./St. Claire SS), who placed 13th (14:23.41) and Mark Pilja (Naperville, Mich./Naperville HS), who placed 16th (14:28.47).

Throwers Climb Conference Charts
A pair of Michigan throwers delivered Michigan season bests at the Duke Invitational and in the process climbed up the Big Ten rankings. Andy Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) tossed the javelin 199-4 to place eighth at the Duke Invitational and move into third place in the Big Ten listing of top performances for 2000. Junior Nick Rogers (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm HS) placed fifth in the shot put (53-7 3/4) at the Duke Invitational to move into the sixth spot in the conference rankings.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423