Weekly Release #19
6/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Upcoming Schedule
Wed-Sat., June 11-14 -- at NCAA Outdoor Championships (Sacramento, Calif.)
This Week: NCAA Outdoor Championships ...
The University of Michigan women's track and field team ends its 2003 season of competition this week, as the Wolverines proudly send seven athletes to participate at the NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday though Saturday (June 11-14) in Sacramento, Calif. Michigan's seven qualified competitors -- senior tri-captains April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) and Rachel Sturtz (Traverse City, West HS), senior/junior Robin Landfair (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS), juniors Melissa Bickett (Akron, Ohio/Revere HS) and Lindsey Gallo (Freehold, N.J./Howell HS), sophomore Stephanie Linz (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) and freshman Rebecca Walter (Beverly Hills, Mich./Groves HS) -- begin their quest for NCAA honors Wednesday afternoon at 10 a.m. PDT with Bickett in the preliminaries of the discus.
Schedule of Events for U-M Competition (Times PDT)
| Wednesday (June 11) | |
| 10 a.m. | Discus (Prelims) |
| 11:05 a.m. | 800-meter run (Prelims) |
| 12:05 p.m. | 100-meter hurdles (Prelims) |
| 9:20 p.m. | 5,000-meter run (Prelims) |
Thursday (June 12) | |
| 11:05 a.m. | 800-meter run (Semis) |
| 12:05 p.m. | 100-meter hurdles (Semis) |
| 4 p.m. | High Jump (Prelims) |
| 5 p.m. | Hammer Throw (Prelims) |
| 7 p.m. | 1,500-meter run (Prelims) |
Friday (June 13) | |
| 2 p.m. | Discus (Final) |
Saturday (June 14) | |
| 10 a.m. | Hammer Throw (Final) |
| 7 p.m. | 100-meter hurdles (Final) |
| 7:30 p.m. | Shot Put (Final) |
| 7:35 p.m. | High Jump (Final) |
| 7:40 p.m. | 1,500-meter run (Final) |
| 8:20 p.m. | 800-meter run (Final) |
| 8:40 p.m. | 5,000-meter run (Final) |
Where the Wolverines Are ...
The Wolverines enter the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships with seven athletes qualified to compete in 10 events at A.G. Spanos Sports Complex on the campus of Sacramento State University in Sacramento, Calif. Senior tri-captain April Phillips leads the Wolverines as she enters the weekend's action ranked No. 11 in the shot put and 12th in the hammer throw. Following is a list of how the Maize and Blue stack up with the nation's best:
800m Run 1. Becky Lyne, Butler 2:02.66 19. Rachel Sturtz, U-M 2:06.17 1,500m Run 1. Johanna Nilsson, N. Arizona 4:10.72 8. Lindsey Gallo, U-M 4:16.35 5,000m Run 1. Lauren Fleshman, Stanford 15:23.94 9. Rebecca Walter, U-M 16:18.29 High Jump 1. Chaunte Howard, Georgia Tech 6-2 1/4 (1.89m) 20. Stephanie Linz, U-M 5-10 1/2 (1.79m) Discus 1. Becky Breisch, Nebraska 192-6 (58.69m) 14. Melissa Bickett, U-M 178-1 (54.27m) Hammer Throw 1. Candice Scott, Florida 223-10 (68.23m) 12. April Phillips, U-M 199-3 (60.74m) 19. Melissa Bickett, U-M 193-8 (59.04m) Shot Put 1. Laura Gerraughty, N. Carolina 61-9 (18.89m) 11. April Phillips, U-M 53-11 (16.43m) 19. Melissa Bickett, U-M 52-4 (15.95m)
What About Robin ...
Senior/junior Robin Landfair was overlooked by the NCAA selection committee as a wild card selection into the 100-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Though she was a member of the 4x100-meter relay team that was disqualified at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships (May 31), she was done with her individual competition, thus becoming immune to the disqualification into the national championship meet. She remains unseeded by the NCAA, however, she will travel to Sacramento, Calif., with hopes of receiving a entry into the meet. Two other athletes with slower times wild card entries to the national meet.
Michigan at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
From 1988-99, Michigan had at least one NCAA outdoor All-American in eight of the 12 years. The Wolverines have never won an individual title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but they have had four runner-up finishes, all in the 5,000-meter run.
U-M NCAA Individual Runners-Up
| Sue Schroeder | 5,000-meter run | 1985 |
| Sue Schroeder | 5,000-meter run | 1986 |
| Molly McClimon | 5,000-meter run | 1993 |
| Katie McGregor | 5,000-meter run | 1998 |
Under head coach James Henry the Maize and Blue has been to the NCAA Outdoor Championships 14 times since 1985. The Wolverines' best finish at the championships under Henry was a 15th-place showing in 1998 with 15 total points.
Last Year at the National Championships ...
At the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships the Wolverines were represented by Katie (Clifford) Jazwinski (1999-02), Melissa Bickett and April Phillips, with Jazwinski running in the 5,000-meter run, Bickett throwing in the discus and Phillips in the hammer throw and shot put. U-M brought back two All-America citations. Jazwinski earned one of the two All-America honors when she finished seventh in 5,000-meter race. Phillips garnered the first All-America citation of her career, as she placed 12th in the hammer throw. Though she did not earn All-America honors the then sophomore finished 11th in the discus. With the two points earned by Jazwinski's seventh-place finish, the Wolverines tied for 59th in the team standings.
Recapping the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships ...
The Wolverines sent 18 athletes to Columbus, Ohio, last weekend (May 30-31) to compete in the inaugural NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. Of those 18 athletes, seven qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with thrower Melissa Bickett earning an automatic spot in three different events, while fellow thrower April Phillips qualified in two events.
Bickett automatically qualified in the discus, hammer throw and shot put during the two-day meet. She earned the automatic trip to Sacramento, Calif., with runner-up showings in the discus (167-1) and hammer throw (193-8) and a third-place finish in the shot put (51-7 3/4).
Phillips garnered her second consecutive trip to the national championship meet when she claimed victory in both the hammer throw (199-2) and shot put (53-9 1/2). Phillips entered the meet as the top seed in each event and showed why she had earned the distinction, besting the field by more than six feet in the hammer throw and nearly two feet in the shot put.
Michigan's other event champion at the regional championship was Stephanie Linz, who was the sole jumper to clear 5-10 1/2. With the first-place effort Linz will make her second trip to the NCAA Championships this season. Linz finished 13th at the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 14) in Fayetteville, Ark.
On the track, Rebecca Walter placed fourth in the 5,000-meter run with at time of 16:40.83. As one of the top five runners to cross the finish line the freshman punched her ticket to the national championship meet.
A bit of disappoint loomed over the Wolverines on Saturday though as the Wolverines did not send their 4x100-meter relay team to the start line. Due to an injury suffered by sophomore Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame HS), U-M was without its anchor and did not put forth an effort to run in the race, electing to instead scratch its entry.
According to NCAA rules, if an athlete or relay team qualifies for an event final, they must put forth an honest effort to compete in that final, unless excused with written documentation for a physician or meet official. Michigan did not receive such documentation and was disqualified from the race. In addition all four athletes on the relay were disqualified from the remainder of the meet's competition, resulting in Vera Simms (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) and Carly Knazze (Southfield, Mich./Southfield HS) missing opportunities to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Hail to the Victors Valiant ...
Following its team title at the 2003 Big Ten Conference outdoor track and field championships the Wolverines captured their second league triple crown and first since the 1993-94 academic school year. In order to claim a triple crown a program must win the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field championships in a given academic year.
U-M got things started off on the right foot during the fall semester winning the cross country team title in West Lafayette, Ind. The Maize and Blue achieved the second leg of its triple crown journey as it earned a first-place finish at the indoor track and field championships in Bloomington, Ind. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place last weekend (May 16-18) as the Wolverines totaled 137 points to hoist the outdoor team championship trophy, their third of team title of the 2002-03 season.
Michigan is one of only two teams in the Big Ten Conference to claim the league triple crown. Wisconsin has accomplished the feat on four occasions, mostly recently in 1996-97.
I've got to Admit, It's Been a Great Year ...
In her final year as a Wolverine, senior tri-captain April Phillips put up some big numbers in the throwing circle. For her efforts during the 2003 outdoor season, Phillips was selected as the Big Ten Outdoor Athlete of the Year. With the selection she becomes the first member of the women's track and field program ever to receive the honor. During the outdoor season, Phillips has won a pair of NCAA Mideast Regional titles (hammer throw and shot put); claimed two Big Ten individual titles (hammer throw and shot put); set two school records (hammer throw, 199-3; shot put, 53-11), one Michigan Ferry Field record (hammer throw, 199-3) and a conference hammer throw record (199-2); and helped her team to its fourth straight conference championship (two indoor, two outdoor).
During the indoor season, Phillips earned All-America honors in the shot put following a fourth-place finish at the national championship, marking a school record 55-0. She also collected her first indoor Big Ten title with a victory in the shot put.
She's Good, Good ...
April Phillips earned a pair first-place finishes at the inaugural NCAA Mideast Regional Championships (May 30-31), as she posted first-place finishes in the hammer throw and shot put in Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Phillips began her weekend with a victory in the shot put when she heaved the ball 53-9 1/2. The mark bettered runner-up Janae Strickland by nearly two feet as the Missouri thrower putted 52-1 3/4. Phillips earned her second event title with a toss of 199-2 in the hammer throw a day later. It marked the second consecutive week she marked the distance, which is one inch off her personal best of 199-3 set at the Len Paddock Invitational (May 9).
I've Got to Admit, She Did Get Better ...
During her senior year of 2003, April Phillips set four U-M school records. Her most recent school-record toss came in the final home meet of her career when she marked 199-3 in the hammer throw at the Len Paddock Invitational (May 9). At the Drake Relays (April 26), Phillips reset her outdoor shot put record with a winning throw of 53-11. During the indoor season, the senior tri-captain set the school mark in the shot put at 55-0 while at the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 15). She also etched her name in the Michigan record book with a heave of 63-1 1/4 in the weight throw at the Sykes-Sabok Challenge Cup (Feb. 15). Following is a list of her longest throws in Michigan history:
| Event | Distance | Date | Meet |
| Indoor Shot Put | 55-0 | 3/15/03 | NCAA Indoor Championships |
| Weight Throw | 63-1 1/4 | 2/15/03 | Sykes-Sabok Challenge Cup |
| Hammer Throw | 199-3 | 5/9/03 | Len Paddock Invitational |
| Outdoor Shot Put | 53-11 | 4/26/03 | Drake Relays |
Three's Company ...
Melissa Bickett will be making her third straight trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as competitor in the discus throw. Bickett made her first appearance in the event as a freshman in 2000. As a first-year participant at the national championship meet, she finished 18th overall. Last year as a sophomore Bickett improved to 11th as she posted a distance of 169-1.
Far Far Away ...
Melissa Bickett has posted a personal-best throw in each of her last two meets. Last weekend at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships (May 30-31), Bickett marked a career best throw of 193-8 in the hammer throw. The toss annihilated her prior best by 13-8. Two weeks prior, Bickett heaved the shot put a personal-best 52-4 for second place at the Big Ten Championships (May 16-18).
She's Back ...
Sophomore Stephanie Linz makes her second appearance in an NCAA Championships in 2003 following her first-place finish in the high jump at the Mideast Regional Championships (May 31). Linz earned the event title as she was the only competitor to clear to height of 5-10 1/2. The height clearance tied an outdoor season best. During the indoor season, Linz jumped over the bar as it rested 5-11 1/4 above the ground. At the 2003 NCAA Indoor Championships Linz finished 12th with a clearance height of 5-9 1/4.
Guess Who's Coming to the Party ...
Senior tri-captain Rachel Sturtz, junior/sophomore Lindsey Gallo and freshman Rebecca Walter will all be making their first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Walter automatically qualified in the 5,000-meter run by finishing fourth in the event at the Mideast Regional Championships (May 30). Sturtz and Gallo did not automatically qualify. They earned the trip as wild card selections, based on their best times in the 800- and 1,500-meter runs, respectively.
What She Brings ...
Rachel Sturtz completed her Big Ten career as the winningest 800-meter runner and second most decorated athlete in Michigan women's track and field history, after winning her fifth career 800-meter title last weekend at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 16-18). In four years of Big Ten competition, Sturtz has won three outdoor titles (2001, 2002 and 2003) and two indoor crowns (2001 and 2003). She one of only U-M athlete ever to win an event at both the indoor and outdoor championships twice in a career. Tania Longe (1995-98) accomplished the feat in the pentathlon and heptathlon in 1997 and 1998.
Gallo Goes West ...
Lindsey Gallo has had a productive 2003 season. During the indoor portion of the season, Gallo anchored the Michigan distance medley relay team that finished 10th at the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 14). On the conference level, she placed third in the mile and sixth in the 3,000-meter run at the Big Ten Championships (March 1-2). Outdoors, Gallo turned in a third-place finish in the 1,500-meter run at the Big Ten Championships (May 18). On her last trip to the West Coast, Gallo posted a personal-best 4:16.35 over 1,500 meters at the Cardinal Invitational (May 2).
It's Walter ...
In her first year wearing the Maize and Blue, freshman Rebecca Walter ran like a seasoned veteran. During the indoor season, Walter placed second in the 5,000-meter run and third in the 3,000-meter run at the Big Ten Indoor Championships (March 1-2). At the Outdoor Championships (May 16-18), Walter again put together a pair of gutsy distance performances with a runner-up showing in the 10,000-meter run and third-place finish in the 5,000-meter run, respectively. During the cross county season, Walter was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as she was the first freshman to finish the 6,000-meter course.
Record-Setting Robin ...
Robin Landfair obliterated her previous U-M school record in the 100-meter hurdles when she sped across the finish line in 13.42 for a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 18) in Minneapolis, Minn. Landfair's time was a blistering 0.23 seconds better than her previous record clocking of 13.65 set earlier this year at the Sea Ray Relays (April 12).
All-Big Ten Honors ...
Three Michigan athletes earned All-Big Ten first-team honors as April Phillips (hammer throw and shot put), Vera Simms (400-meter hurdles) and Rachel Sturtz (800-meter run) all stood a top the podium following event victories.
The Wolverines also received four All-Big Ten second team accolades from Melissa Bickett in the shot put, Carly Knazze in the 400-meter run, high jumper Stephanie Linz and Rebecca Walter in the 10,000-meter run.
Academic All-Big Ten...
For their efforts in the classroom as well as on the track and in the field, 22 Wolverine athletes were selected to the 2003 Spring Academic All-Big Ten team last Friday (May 30). To be eligible for Academic All-Big status, student-athletes must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year and carry a career grade-point average of 3.0 or better. Following is a list of the Michigan track and field team's 22 honorees:
| Name | Yr. | Major |
| Melissa Bickett | Jr. | Cellular and Molecular Biology |
| Theresa Feldkamp | So. | Sports Management and Communication |
| Anna Fisher | Sr. | Mechanical Engineering |
| Lindsey Gallo | Jr. | Business |
| Sierra Hauser-Price | So. | Psychology |
| Stephanie Hirtle | So. | Undeclared |
| Chelsea Homan | So. | Undeclared |
| Janelle Jaha | Jr. | Athletic Training |
| Tara Kennedy | So. | Undeclared |
| Jennifer Kulchar | So. | Undeclared |
| Chelsea Loomis | So. | Undeclared |
| Jane Martineau | Sr. | English and History |
| Brianne Page | Jr. | Undeclared |
| April Phillips | Sr. | Industrial Operations Engineering |
| Sarah Pizzo | So. | Sports Management and Communication |
| Teyonna Simpson | Jr. | Sociology |
| Rachel Sturtz | Sr. | English |
| Christina Tzilos | Jr. | Undeclared |
| Jessica Wagner | So. | Undeclared |
| Lauren Weddell | Gr. | Kinesiology |
| Jennifer Wendling | So. | Undeclared |
| Candice Wilkey | Jr. | Undeclared |
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
