The Notre Dame Fighting Irish won the men’s BIG EAST Track & Field title and the Louisville Cardinals claimed the women’s title on the final day of the 2008 BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Villanova.
Notre Dame finished with a team total of 122.50 points, ahead of runner-up Connecticut’s 105. It is the Irish’s fifth BIG EAST title. Last year’s champion Louisville was third with 93, followed by Cincinnati (80) and Rutgers (78).
Louisville claimed its first BIG EAST Outdoor Track & Field title with 106 points. Pittsburgh was the runner-up with 87 points, followed closely by Notre Dame (86) and Connecticut (84). Villanova’s 73 points was good for fifth.
Cincinnati junior Antione Drakeford was named the men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer. Drakeford won the 400m in 46.29 and ran the second leg of the winning 4x100m-relay team.
Louisville junior Andre Black was named the men’s Most Outstanding Field Performer. Black won his third consecutive BIG EAST triple jump title with a mark of 16.04m and was the runner-up in the long jump at 7.68m.
Villanova senior Frances Koons was named the women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer in the final meet on her home track. Koons won the 1,500m in 4:19.41 and the 5,000m in 16:30.13
Louisville junior Jere’ Summers was named the women’s Most Outstanding Field Performer for the meet. Summers won both the shot put (16.60m) and discus (56.67m), setting conference records in both events.
The Notre Dame men’s coaching staff was selected as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. The Irish claimed two event titles in addition to the overall team title.
The Louisville women’s coaching staff was honored as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. The Cardinals won four event titles in addition to the overall team title.
Connecticut senior Tamara Highsmith set a conference record of 13.44m on her way to the triple jump title. Notre Dame junior Mary Saxer tied the conference meet record of 4.00m Saturday in the pole vault.
Of the 12 men who ran the 1,500m, eight have earned all-America status and seven have broken the four-minute mile barrier. Georgetown junior Andrew Bumbalough claimed the title in 3:52.72. Last year’s 200m champion, Syracuse senior Aulton Kohn, claimed the 100m title in 2008 with a time of 10.46.
Connecticut freshman Trisha-Ann Hawthorne claimed a pair of titles in her first BIG EAST meet. Hawthorne won the 100m in 11.37 and the 200m in 23.33.
The NCAA regionals will be held May 30-31 at four different sites with the finals to be held June 11-14 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Men’s Team Standings (final)
1. Notre Dame 122.50
2. Connecticut 105
3. Louisville 93
4. Cincinnati 80
5. Rutgers 78
6. Georgetown 76
7. USF 63
8. Villanova 56
9. Syracuse 55
10. Pittsburgh 45
11. Seton Hall 31
12. DePaul 23
13. Providence 15
14. Marquette 14.50
Men’s Individual Champions
100m Aulton Kohn, SU 10.46
110m Hurdles Mike Wray, Pitt 13.83
200m Basil Campbell, UConn 21.17
400m Antione Drakeford, UC 46.29
400m Hurdles Glenn Fowler, USF 51.47
800m Michael Rutt, UConn 1:48.08
1,500m Andrew Bumbalough, GU 3:52.72
3,000m Steeplechase Kyle Heath, SU 8:57.39
5,000m Bobby Curtis, VU 14:23.47
10,000m Patrick Smyth, ND 29:14.76
Long jump Mikese Morse, USF 7.81m
Triple jump Andre Black, UofL 16.04m
High jump Brandon Fitch, UC 2.07m
Pole Vault Sean Young, USF 5.05m
Shot Put Andrew Dubs, UConn 18.37m
Discus Brandon Drenon, ND 53.35m
Javelin Marco Radocaj, VU 68.31m
Hammer Throw Brad Millar, DPU 58.22m
Decathlon Nick Crosta, RU 6,934 points
4x100m Relay Cincinnati 41.48
(I. Hendricks, A. Drakeford, C. Van Cura, E. Igeleke)
4x400m Relay Seton Hall 3:09.52
(B. Burney, J. Gurr, D. Crooks, G. Gomes)
4x800m Relay Georgetown 7:27.51
(N. Grosscup, T. Gissendanner, D. Harris, A. Bumbalough)
Men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer: Antione Drakeford, Cincinnati
Men’s Most Outstanding Field Performer: Andre Black, Louisville
Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year: University of Notre Dame
Women’s Team Standings (final)
1. Louisville 106
2. Pittsburgh 87
3. Notre Dame 86
4. Connecticut 84
5. Villanova 73
6. Georgetown 64
7. Seton Hall 57
8. West Virginia 47.50
9. Syracuse 47
10. Cincinnati 43
11. USF 39.50
12. DePaul 33
13. Marquette 28
14. Providence 23
15. Rutgers 20
16. St. John’s 19
Women’s Individual Champions
100m Trisha-Ann Hawthorne, UConn 11.37
100m Hurdles Chelsea Carrier, WVU 13.48
200m Trisha-Ann Hawthorne, UConn 23.33
400m Maxcine Foster, STJ 53.54
400m Hurdles Jernail Hayes, SHU 58.83
800m Arusha McKenzie, VU 2:07.21
1,500m Frances Koons, VU 4:19.41
3,000m Steeplechase Elizabeth Haglund, VU 10:17.12
5,000m Frances Koons, VU 16:30.13
10,000m Danette Doetzel, PC 33:27.64
Long jump Shakia Forbes, SHU 6.23m
Triple jump Tamara Highsmith, UConn 13.44m*
High jump Rachel Gehret, UofL 1.81m
Pole Vault Mary Saxer, ND 4.00m*
Shot Put Jere’ Summers, UofL 16.60m*
Discus Jere’ Summers, UofL 56.67m*
Javelin Melissa Fraser, DPU 47.16m
Hammer Throw ZeNai Savage, UofL 59.97
Heptathlon Jillian Drouin, SU 5,554 points
4x100m Relay Pittsburgh 45.99
(Shanea Calhoun, D. Mills, R. Bender, Shantea Calhoun)
4x400m Relay Seton Hall 3:35.85
(A. McCoy, J. Brathwaite, T. Friday, J. Hayes)
4x800m Relay Marquette 8:49.96
(C. Peller, K. Millin, K. Chambers, S. Verdoliva)
* - meet record
Women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer: Frances Koons, Villanova
Women’s Most Outstanding Field Performer: Jere’ Summers, Louisville
Women’s Coaching Staff of the Year: University of Louisville
Courtesy: BIG EAST Conference
