MAY 14, 2002

Thirteen Bulldog Track & Field Athletes to Head to Nationals

Thirteen Truman State University athletes, eight women and five men, will make the trip to San Angelo, Texas for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 23-25 on the campus of Angelo State University. The eight Bulldog women will compete in eight events, while the five men will take part in six events.

From the women's team, senior Megan Williams (Columbia, Mo./Hickman) has the No. 2-ranked NCAA Division II time in the 100-meter hurdles (13.84 seconds) and will be seeking her third straight outdoor All-America award in the event. She's also a two-time indoor All-America in the 55- and 60-meter hurdles.

Three-fourths of the Bulldog women's All-America 4x400-meter relay team returns to the national meet in this year after a fifth-place national finish in 2001. Seniors Kasye Hahn (St. Louis/Ladue) and Jamille Curry (Chicago/Morgan Park) along with sophomore Candi Jones (Oskaloosa, Iowa) are returning members of the 4x400 team. This year, freshman Christina Winkler (High Ridge, Mo./Northwest) is new to the squad, which is ranked sixth in Division II this season. Hahn and Curry are two-time All-Americas in the 4x400 relay.

Hahn will also be competing in the 400-meter dash at nationals. Winkler will run in the 400-meter hurdles, an event in which she's currently ranked seventh nationally, with her qualifying time of 1:01.51.

Like Curry, Hahn and Williams, senior Karena Singleton (Glenwood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) makes her third consecutive appearance at the NCAA outdoor meet. For the third straight year, Singleton has qualified in the triple jump, an event in which she was an All-America in 2000.

Junior Jill Lowry (Jefferson City, Mo.) makes a return trip to the championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Last year, Lowry qualified for the meet in those events but didn't make the finals.

Joining Winkler as the only two Truman women making their first appearance at the national championships is junior Suzanne Schmidt (Omaha, Neb./Elkhorn), who has qualified in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

On the men's side, sophomore Brian Dzingai (Harare, Zimbabwe/St. George's) is qualified in two events, the 100- and 200-meter dashes. His time of 20.70 seconds in the 200 is the No. 1 time in Division II this season, and he ranks ninth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.46 seconds. Dzingai qualified in both events to cap an outstanding freshman campaign last year, but missed the finals in each.

Junior Jake Kingery (Monroe, Iowa/Prairie City-Monroe), an All-America with a fifth-place finish in the decathlon last year, will make a return in 2002. His 6,824 points, accumulated at the MIAA Decathlon last month, ranks ninth in Division II.

Junior Matt Helbig (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) will head back to the national meet in the 1,500-meter run. Last year, Helbig placed 11th in the event at the outdoor championships. He posted his national qualifying time of 3:51.21 this past Saturday at Butler University (Ind.).

Senior Andy Doering (Florissant, Mo./McCluer North) will compete in the 10,000-meter run. Doering posted his national qualifying and school record time of 30:11.79 when he won the event at the Drake Relays in April. A three-time cross country All-America, it will be his first NCAA appearance in track & field.

Junior Brian McQueary (St. Louis/St. Mary's) will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in his first career national track & field appearance.

Truman's 2002 Outdoor National Qualifiers
WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS
NAME                EVENT               TIME  MEET (DATE)
Jamille Curry       4x400-m relay    3:45.61  Emporia St. (5/11)
Kasye Hahn          400-m dash         55.75  Emporia St. (5/11)
                    4x400-m relay    3:45.61  Emporia St. (5/11)
Candi Jones         4x400-m relay    3:45.61  Emporia St. (5/11)
Jill Lowry          100-m dash         12.04  NW Mo. (4/6)
                    200-m dash         24.78  Mule Relays (4/19)
Suzanne Schmidt     3,000-m stpl.   11:15.84  Truman Open (3/30)
Karena Singleton    Triple Jump       39'-1"  MIAA Champ. (5/5)
Megan Williams      100-m hurdles      13.84  Emporia St. (5/11)
Christina Winkler   400-m hurdles    1:01.51  MIAA Champ. (5/5)
                    4x400-m relay    3:45.61  Emporia St. (5/11)

MEN'S QUALIFIERS
NAME                EVENT               TIME  MEET (DATE)
Andy Doering        10,000-m run    30:11.79  Drake Relays (4/25)
Brian Dzingai       100-m dash         10.46  MIAA Champ. (5/4)
                    200-m dash         20.70  MIAA Champ. (5/4)
Matt Helbig         1,500-m run      3:51.21  Butler Qual. (5/11)
Jake Kingery        Decathlon      6,824 pts  MIAA Champ. (4/29)
Brian McQueary      3,000-m stpl.    9:15.14  Truman Open (3/30)


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