The NCAA News - News and Features

June 2, 1997

St. Augustine's fights off defending champs in II women's track

BY STEPHEN R. HAGWELL
STAFF WRITER

EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS -- St. Augustine's men's track team long has been one of the premier teams in Division II. So, now, is the Falcon women's team.

Andrea Giscombe claimed the 400-meter intermediate hurdles and long-jump titles and the Falcons racked up 81 points to win their first Division II Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship May 22-24 at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

St. Augustine's outdistanced three-time defending champion Abilene Christian, which finished with 69 points.

Lewis, which became the first NCAA school ever to sweep the outdoor distance titles (1,500-, 3,000-, 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs), finished third with 68 points. Lincoln (Missouri), which swept the sprints and relays, scored 60 points to place fourth. Adams State was fifth with 44 points.

"Coming into the meet, I thought we were down 10 to 15 points (behind Abilene Christian)," said St. Augustine's coach George Williams, who has guided the Falcon men's team to seven titles. "I knew Abilene Christian had a very good team, but I thought we could give them a good run.

"After the 4-by-100 relay (in which St. Augustine's was disqualified), I got a little worried, but these young ladies just stepped up. They knew what they had to do and went out and did it."

Giscombe and Prisca Philip led the way, advancing to the finals of five and four events, respectively.

Giscombe -- who successfully defended individual titles in the 400 hurdles and long jump -- competed in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, long and triple jumps, and 400- and 1,600-meter relays, while Philip advanced to the finals in the 100- and 400-meter dashes and the two relays.

In addition to first-place showings in the 400 hurdles and long jump, Giscombe registered a second-place showing in the 100-meter hurdles and helped St. Augustine's to a third-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay. She contributed 34 points to the Falcons' cause.

Philip placed sixth in the 400 and anchored the Falcons' 1,600 relay.

"With athletes like Giscombe and Philip, it's hard to beat those kids," Williams said. "But we had a number of kids that really stepped up. The young ladies in the hurdles, triple jump and shot put did a great job. Those three events put us back in sync after the 4-by-100."

St. Augustine's compiled 43 points in those three events. In addition to Giscombe, Donnet Facey and Lisa Taylor placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 100 hurdles; Karen Constable was fourth in the 400 hurdles; and Shanka Walker and Denise George finished fifth in the triple jump and shot put, respectively. Walker also placed third in the long jump.

Abilene Christian, which placed second for the third time, was led by individual-event champions Delloreen Ennis (100-meter hurdles) and Monique Kuenen (discus throw). Ennis, a sophomore, claimed her second consecutive outdoor hurdles title and fourth consecutive title in combined indoor and outdoor competition.

Lewis' unprecedented distance titles sweep was led by Malgorzata Biela and Kasia Arient, who each won two titles. Biela won the 1,500 and 3,000 events, while Arient claimed the 5,000 and 10,000 runs.

Lincoln joined Southern-New Orleans' men's team (1975) as the only NCAA schools to sweep the sprints and relays. Lincoln's sweep also left two event records in tatters.

Beverly Grant captured the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchored the school's relays, including the record-breaking 1,600 relay. Grant is the first NCAA competitor to win the 100 and 200 and participate on two winning relays in the same year.

Lorraine Graham of Lincoln smashed the 400-meter dash record to win her second career individual title.

Tara Crozier of Kutztown easily surpassed the championships' hammer throw mark with a throw of 58.02 meters (190 feet, 4 inches).

DIVISION II WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

TEAM RESULTS

1. St. Augustine's, 81; 2. Abilene Christian, 69; 3. Lewis, 68; 4. Lincoln (Mo.), 60; 5. Adams St., 44; 6. (tie) Angelo St. and UC Davis, 37; 8. Emporia St., 34; 9. Western St., 32; 10. Augustana (S.D.), 31.

11. South Dak., 30; 12. Albany (N.Y.), 26; 13. Northwest Mo. St., 24; 14. Cal St. Los Angeles, 22; 15. North Dak. St., 181/2; 16. Cal Poly Pomona, 18; 17. (tie) Ashland and Northern Colo., 17; 19. Neb.-Omaha, 16; 20. Fort Hays St., 11.

21. (tie) Kutztown and Mankato St., 10; 23. (tie) St. Cloud St. and Shippensburg, 7; 25. (tie) Cal St. Bakersfield, Indianapolis and South Dak. St., 6; 28. (tie) Bloomsburg and Francis Marion, 5; 30. N.C. Central, 31/2.

31. (tie) New York Tech, Tex. A&M-Commerce and Tex. A&M-Kingsville, 3; 34. (tie) Clark Atlanta, Livingstone, Lock Haven, Missouri Southern St. and Saginaw Valley, 2; 39. (tie) Pittsburg St. and Seattle Pacific, 1.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

100-meter dash: 1. Beverly Grant, Lincoln (Mo.), 11.45; 2. Brandy Haan, Northwest Mo. St., 12.07; 3. Ellakisha Williamson, Albany (N.Y.), 12.08; 4. Jocalyn Pruitt, Cal Poly Pomona, 12.09; 5. Delloreen Ennis, Abilene Christian, 12.15; 6. Danielle St. Leger, New York Tech, 12.32; 7. Shelena Landers, Tex. A&M-Commerce, 12.39; 8. Prisca Philip, St. Augustine's, 12.70.

200-meter dash: 1. Beverly Grant, Lincoln (Mo.), 23.02; 2. Lorraine Graham, Lincoln (Mo.), 23.67; 3. Lita Holland, Adams St., 24.03; 4. Tracey Barnes, Abilene Christian, 24.23; 5. Tabresha Lawrence, Cal Poly Pomona, 24.44; 6. Brandy Haan, Northwest Mo. St., 24.66; 7. Jocalyn Pruitt, Cal Poly Pomona, 24.69; 8. Katina Sommers, Abilene Christian, 24.97.

400-meter dash: 1. Lorraine Graham, Lincoln (Mo.), 51.31 (meet record; old record, 51.39, Jearl Miles, Alabama A&M, 1988); 2. Tracey Barnes, Abilene Christian, 52.65; 3. Katina Sommers, Abilene Christian, 53.50; 4. Carri Butler, Neb.-Omaha, 54.54; 5. Lita Holland, Adams St., 54.71; 6. Prisca Philip, St. Augustine's, 55.00; 7. Kyrah Webb, Clark Atlanta, 55.10; 8. Tabresha Lawrence, Cal Poly Pomona, 56.17.

800-meter run: 1. Stacey Mills, Adams St., 2:07.90; 2. Beth Bayser, Lewis, 2:08.39; 3. Mary Gill, North Dak. St., 2:09.15; 4. Jennifer Munyan, South Dak., 2:09.82; 5. Jamila Demby, UC Davis, 2:11.94; 6. Sarah Parkey, Adams St., 2:12.26; 7. Yvonne Andrews, Lincoln (Mo.), 2:12.47; 8. Barb Scharnberg, Augustana (S.D.), 2:13.35.

1,500-meter run: 1. Malgorzata Biela, Lewis, 4:22.92; 2. Michelle Clarke, Mankato St., 4:26.71; 3. Beth Bayser, Lewis, 4:27.46; 4. Vivian Ruijters, Abilene Christian, 4:30.36; 5. Stephanie Milam, Adams St., 4:31.89; 6. Tonya Dodge, Albany (N.Y.), 4:32.93; 7. Janelle Olson, Adams St., 4:33.88; 8. Melissa Bouren, Adams St., 4:34.31.

3,000-meter run: 1. Malgorzata Biela, Lewis, 9:35.30; 2. Maria Lopez, Western St., 9:40.23; 3. Magdalena Paszta, Lewis, 9:41.69; 4. Diana Harlick, UC Davis, 9:44.27; 5. Hiedi Reed, Augustana (S.D.), 9:46.22; 6. Stacy Johnson, Augustana (S.D.), 9:46.24; 7. Vivian Ruijters, Abilene Christian, 9:46.37; 8. Tonya Dodge, Albany (N.Y.), 9:49.14.

5,000-meter run: 1. Kasia Arient, Lewis, 16:41.30; 2. Magdalena Paszta, Lewis, 16:56.64; 3. Maria Lopez, Western St., 17:02.40; 4. Stacy Johnson, Augustana (S.D.), 17:10.01; 5. Diana Harlick, UC Davis, 17:10.27; 6. Kim Bugg, Adams St., 17:10.80; 7. Miranda Boonstra, Abilene Christian, 17:12.74; 8. Stephanie Yingling, Shippensburg, 17:16.99.

10,000-meter run: 1. Kasia Arient, Lewis, 35:22.93; 2. Hiedi Reed, Augustana (S.D.), 35:54.46; 3. Kim Bugg, Adams St., 35:58.73; 4. Michelle Wolyniec, Bloomsburg, 36:02.61; 5. Emily Budnyk, Shippensburg, 36:03.52; 6. Debbie Magana, Western St., 36:08.05; 7. Stephanie Yingling, Shippensburg, 36:16.49; 8. Natalie Loughmiller, Pittsburg St., 36:19.42.

100-meter hurdles: 1. Delloreen Ennis, Abilene Christian, 13.69; 2. Andrea Giscombe, St. Augustine's, 13.77; 3. Ellakisha Williamson, Albany (N.Y.), 13.90; 4. Donnet Facey, St. Augustine's, 14.11; 5. Lisa Taylor, St. Augustine's, 14.25; 6. Xiomara Davila Diaz, Albany (N.Y.), 14.29; 7. Chantry Brush, Fort Hays St., 14.55; 8. Amy Bippert, Angelo St., 14.77.

400-meter intermediate hurdles: 1. Andrea Giscombe, St. Augustine's, 57.46; 2. Celise Carroll, UC Davis, 59.01; 3. Nancy Weber, Northern Colo., 59.19; 4. Karen Constable, St. Augustine's, 59.25; 5. Xiomara Davila Diaz, Albany (N.Y.), 1:00.70; 6. Abbey Baiza, Angelo St., 1:00.78; 7. Denise Bitz, Mankato St., 1:01.54; 8. Sandy Derby, Neb.-Omaha, 1:02.85.

400-meter relay: 1. Lincoln (Mo.) (Symantha Betts, Lorraine Graham, Shelly Berth, Beverly Grant), 44.71; 2. Abilene Christian, 45.50; 3. North Dak. St., 46.92; 4. Neb.-Omaha, 47.03; 5. Cal Poly Pomona, 47.07; 6. Tex. A&M-Kingsville, 47.36; 7. Livingstone, 47.81; St. Augustine's disqualified.

1,600-meter relay: 1. Lincoln (Mo.) (Yvonne Andrews, Shelly Berth, Latonya Wheeler, Beverly Grant), 3:33.28 (meet record; old record, 3:34.73, Hampton, 1986); 2. Abilene Christian, 3:39.45; 3. St. Augustine's, 3:40.48; 4. Emporia St., 3:43.65; 5. Neb.-Omaha, 3:46.06; 6. North Dak. St., 3:46.66; 7. South Dak., 3:46.67; 8. Angelo St., 3:51.47.

High jump: 1. Debby Volkers, Augustana (S.D.), 1.83 (6-0); 2. Misty Campbell, Northwest Mo. St., 1.75 (5-83/4); 3. Emily Schunke, Indianapolis, 1.75 (5-83/4); 4. Sherrie Jackson, Adams St., 1.75 (5-83/4); 5. (tie) Kimberly McPhatter, N.C. Central, and Andrea Jeseritz, North Dak. St., 1.72 (5-73/4); 7. Kim Schiemenz, Northern Colo., 1.72 (5-73/4); 8. Jacshell Sasser, Northwest Mo. St., 1.72 (5-73/4).

Long jump: 1. Andrea Giscombe, St. Augustine's, 6.19 (20-33/4); 2. Elena Swan, South Dak., 6.07 (19-11); 3. Shanka Walker, St. Augustine's, 6.00 (19-81/4); 4. Ermelinda Shehu, Western St., 5.99 (19-8); 5. Lisa Taylor, St. Augustine's, 5.78 (18-113/4); 6. Angelo Orlando, UC Davis, 5.76 (18-103/4); 7. Angie Sneider, Saginaw Valley, 5.73 (18-93/4); 8. Shelena Landers, Tex. A&M-Commerce, 5.71 (18-9).

Triple jump (w indicates wind-aided): 1. Ermelinda Shehu, Western St., 12.88w (42-31/4); 2. Amy Bippert, Angelo St., 12.52w (41-1); 3. Elena Swan, South Dak., 12.42 (40-9); 4. Angelo Orlando, UC Davis, 12.16w (39-103/4); 5. Shanka Walker, St. Augustine's, 12.13w (39-93/4); 6. Shantel Robinson, St. Augustine's, 12.04w (39-6); 7. Ruth Moecks, Cal Poly Pomona, 11.78w (38-73/4); 8. Denise Kocer, South Dak., 11.70w (38-43/4).

Shot put: 1. Petra Juraskova, Cal St. Los Angeles, 15.57 (51-1); 2. Vickie Perez, Angelo St., 14.99 (49-21/4); 3. Julia Karst, St. Cloud St., 14.54 (47-81/2); 4. Becky Ball, Ashland, 14.47 (47-53/4); 5. Denise George, St. Augustine's, 14.36 (47-11/2); 6. Londa VanderWal, South Dak. St., 14.24 (46-83/4); 7. Misako Hampton, Cal St. Bakersfield, 14.23 (46-81/4); 8. Theresa Williams, Neb.-Omaha, 14.20 (46-71/4).

Discus throw: 1. Monique Kuenen, Abilene Christian, 51.88 (170-2); 2. Petra Juraskova, Cal St. Los Angeles, 50.88 (166-11); 3. Vickie Perez, Angelo St., 49.00 (160-9); 4. Michelle Reis, UC Davis, 47.96 (157-4); 5. Misako Hampton, Cal St. Bakersfield, 47.68 (156-5); 6. Julie Humphreys, Northwest Mo. St., 47.64 (156-3); 7. Nancy Overman, South Dak. St., 46.74 (153-4); 8. Sandy Dingmann, St. Cloud St., 46.38 (152-2).

Hammer throw: 1. Tara Crozier, Kutztown, 58.02 (190-4) [meet record; old record, 54.00 (177-2), LaVera Clark, Cal St. Los Angeles, 1996]; 2. Lynda Barnard, Emporia St., 56.40 (185-0); 3. Becky Ball, Ashland, 55.30 (181-5); 4. Elizabeth Pidgeon, Francis Marion, 53.16 (174-5); 5. LaVera Clark, Cal St. Los Angeles, 53.04 (174-0); 6. Laura Mayo, Emporia St., 51.54 (169-1); 7. Michelle Heimerman, Mo. Southern St., 49.46 (162-3); 8. Julie Humphreys, Northwest Mo. St., 48.90 (160-5).

Javelin throw: 1. Joyce Burnett, Emporia St., 48.06 (157-8); 2. Shanique Musgrove, St. Augustine's, 45.28 (148-7); 3. Jenny Hardesty, Ashland, 44.78 (146-11); 4. Mindy Lyne, Fort Hays St., 44.64 (146-5); 5. Kristin Johnson, Fort Hays St., 43.72 (143-5); 6. Pilar Varela, UC Davis, 42.46 (139-4); 7. Lynda Barnard, Emporia St., 42.34 (138-11); 8. Nancy Overman, South Dak. St., 41.36 (135-8).

Heptathlon: 1. Amy Bippert, Angelo St., 5,268; 2. Elena Swan, South Dak., 5,098; 3. Deandra Doubrava, Emporia St., 5,095; 4. Nancy Weber, Northern Colo., 5,042; 5. Kim Schiemenz, Northern Colo., 4,990; 6. Janna Johnston, Albany (N.Y.), 4,834; 7. Amy Parkes, Lock Haven, 4,778; 8. Susie Keller, Seattle Pacific, 4,711.