The NCAA News - News and Features

March 23, 1998

Speedy Lincoln sprints its way to III men's indoor track title

In the regular world, speed kills, but in track and field, it's the ticket to success.

Need proof? Look no further than the Division III Men's Indoor Track Championships.

For the third time in four years, Lincoln (Pennsylvania) relied on the strength of its sprints corps, as well as the field-events heroics of Thomas Thompson, to claim the team championship.

Using its speed and Thompson's outstanding performance, Lincoln (Pennsylvania) amassed 53 points to edge Mount Union by five points to win its fourth title.

It was the 10th time in 14 years that the Lions have finished first or second. The meet was conducted March 13-14 at Brandeis.

Mount Union earned its second runner-up showing in the last three years. Christopher Newport and North Central tied for third with 20 points each, while Wisconsin-La Crosse registered its 13th consecutive top five showing, compiling 19 points.

Robert Woolbright and Chris Cobbs headlined the Lions' sprint corps, garnering first-place finishes in the 400-meter dash and 55-meter high hurdles, respectively, while Thompson secured the triple-jump title. The three wins increased the Lions' record total to 26.

Thompson recorded one of the most memorable performances in the championships' 14-year history as he secured the triple-jump title and added a pair of second-place showings in the high and long jumps. The three-event performance accounted for 25 of the Lions' 53 points.

Thompson garnered Lincoln's (Pennsylvania) first triple-jump crown, leaping 15.26 meters (50 feet, 3/4 inch). He was the only athlete to surpass the 50-foot mark.

Woolbright cruised to a surprisingly easy triumph, crossing the finish line more than three-tenths of a second ahead of runner-up Clyde Lewis of Christopher Newport. The title was the fourth for Lincoln (Pennsylvania), but its first since 1993.

Cobbs claimed the hurdles crown, leading the Lions to a 1-3-6 finish. Cobbs finished the event in 7.40 seconds, extending the Lions' reign in the event to three years. Lincoln (Pennsylvania) has won six of the last 10 hurdles titles.

Alonzo Wiggins and Robert Stevenson placed third and sixth, respectively, in the hurdles to contribute seven points to the Lions' points total.

Cortland State's Stefan Mascoll recorded the championships' only record-breaking performance, cruising to victory in the 55-meter dash. Mascoll posted a time of 6.27 to eclipse the standard of 6.31 set by Brandon Jones of Lincoln (Pennsylvania) in 1992 and equaled by Jones in 1995.

Dave Cooper of Mount Union was instrumental in guiding Mount Union to its runner-up finish as he won the 1,500- and 5,000-meter runs.

Cooper, who claimed the 1997 title in the 5,000, is the first competitor to win the 1,500 and 5,000 events in the same year, and the eighth athlete to win two titles in one year.

Rose-Hulman's Ryan Loftus and Mount Union's Shawn Watson earned their second titles in the pole vault and long jump, respectively. The title was the second straight for Loftus; Watson also won the 1996 long-jump crown.

Division III men's indoor track

TEAM RESULTS

1. Lincoln (Pa.), 53; 2. Mount Union, 48; 3. (tie) Chris. Newport and North Central, 20; 5. Wis.-La Crosse, 19; 6. (tie) Amherst and Augustana (Ill.), 14; 8. (tie) Bates, Binghamton and Neb. Wesleyan, 12.

11. (tie) Cortland St., Mass.-Boston, Rose-Hulman, Williams and Wis.-Stevens Point, 10; 16. Lynchburg, 9; 17. (tie) Brandeis, Howard Payne, Hunter, John Carroll, Wis.-Platteville and Wis.-Stout, 8.

23. Rensselaer, 71Ž2; 24. Wis.-Eau Claire, 7; 25. (tie) Coe, Millikin and Rowan, 6; 28. (tie) Fredonia St., Hamline, Ohio Northern, Wis.-Whitewater and Worcester Tech, 4.

33. Coast Guard, 3; 34. (tie) Ill. Wesleyan, Loras, Plattsburgh St., St. Thomas (Minn.), Springfield and Wartburg, 2; 40. Luther, 11Ž2.

41. (tie) Bowdoin, Frostburg St. and Monmouth (Ill.), 1.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

55-meter dash: 1. Stefan Mascoll, Cortland St., 6.27 (meet record; old record, 6.31, Brandon Jones, Lincoln [Pa.], 1992 and 1995); 2. Wilmer Ray, Howard Payne, 6.35; 3. Krishaun Gilmore, Rensselaer, 6.37; 4. Nate Riles, Ohio Northern, 6.41; 5. Carl Alexander, Millikin, 6.41; 6. Dayne Ross, Lincoln (Pa.), 9.23.

400-meter dash: 1. Robert Woolbright, Lincoln (Pa.), 49.03; 2. Clyde Lewis, Chris. Newport, 49.35; 3. Rich Dixon, Rowan, 49.55; 4. Dan Sondgeroth, Hamline, 49.74; 5. Phil Vetterkind, Wis.-La Crosse, 49.88; 6. Brian Houzenga, Monmouth (Ill.), 49.90.

800-meter run: 1. Robert Mitchell, Amherst, 1:50.85; 2. Geoff Getz, Brandeis, 1:51.62; 3. Brett Witt, Wis.-Stevens Point, 1:52.49; 4. Eugene Kornilov, Mount Union, 1:52.66; 5. Matt LoPiccolo, Plattsburgh St., 1:52.76; 6. Chris Downe, Bowdoin, 1:53.33.

1,500-meter run: 1. Dave Cooper, Mount Union, 3:52.56; 2. Eugene Kornilov, Mount Union, 3:52.96; 3. Tony Rizzo, North Central, 3:54.51; 4. Robert Mitchell, Amherst, 3:55.78; 5. Chris Schaefer, Loras, 3:55.84; 6. Matt Twiest, Bates, 3:55.85.

5,000-meter run: 1. Dave Cooper, Mount Union, 14:27.13; 2. Jeff Stiles, North Central, 14:31.02; 3. Jason Finch, Wis.-Eau Claire, 14:33.52; 4. Paul Alsdorf, Williams, 14:35.92; 5. Josh Kath, St. Thomas (Minn.), 14:40.35; 6. Michael Taye, Frostburg St., 14:40.71.

55-meter high hurdles: 1. Chris Cobbs, Lincoln (Pa.), 7.40; 2. Jewdyer Osborne, Binghamton, 7.50; 3. Alonzo Wiggins, Lincoln (Pa.), 7.50; 4. Tony Smith, Chris. Newport, 7.60; 5. Brian Hauff, Neb. Wesleyan, 7.69; 6. Robert Stevenson, Lincoln (Pa.), 7.72.

1,600-meter relay: 1. Neb. Wesleyan (Mike Reed, Steve Harder, Chad Wemhoff, Heath Smith), 3:16.58; 2. Chris. Newport, 3:16.86; 3. Coe, 3:21.49; 4. Fredonia St., 3:21.58; 5. Wartburg, 3:22.21; 6. Wis.-La Crosse, 3:29.71.

High jump: 1. Craig Lyon, Augustana (Ill.), 2.13 (6-13Ž4); 2. (tie) Thomas Thompson, Lincoln (Pa.), and Dave Lichtenstein, Lynchburg, 2.08 (6-93Ž4); 4. (tie) Josh Fant, Coast Guard, and Ben Douglas, Wis.-Stevens Point, 2.08 (6-93Ž4); 6. Mike Mead, Wis.-Stevens Point, 2.08 (6-93Ž4).

Pole vault: 1. Ryan Loftus, Rose-Hulman, 4.90 (16-03Ž4); 2. Matt Lemieux, John Carroll, 4.80 (15-9); 3. Josh Buchholtz, Wis.-La Crosse, 4.80 (15-9); 4. Dustin Waddell, Augustana (Ill.), 4.80 (15-9); 5. (tie) Michael Gordon, Rensselaer, and Dan Davis, Luther, 4.70 (15-5).

Long jump: 1. Shawn Watson, Mount Union, 7.50 (24-71Ž4); 2. Thomas Thompson, Lincoln (Pa.), 7.39 (24-3); 3. David Thompson, North Central, 7.28 (23-103Ž4); 4. Brian Hamilton, Binghamton, 7.11 (23-4); 5. Dave Lichtenstein, Lynchburg, 6.97 (22-101Ž2); 6. Scott Whirry, Wis.-Eau Claire, 6.89 (22-71Ž4).

Triple jump: 1. Thomas Thompson, Lincoln (Pa.), 15.26 (50-03Ž4); 2. Nigel Franklyn, Hunter, 14.97 (49-11Ž2); 3. Shawn Watson, Mount Union, 14.79 (48-61Ž4); 4. Robert Thompson, Wis.-Whitewater, 14.59 (47-101Ž2); 5. Harold Gauthier, Ill. Wesleyan, 14.37 (47-13Ž4); 6. Ben Dean, Wis.-Platteville, 14.24 (46-83Ž4).

Shot put: 1. Robert Grieco, Mass.-Boston, 17.81 (58-51Ž4); 2. Jason Lehman, Wis.-Stout, 16.63 (54-63Ž4); 3. David Stuhlsatz, Williams, 16.60 (54-51Ž2); 4. Servera Gilbert, Millikin, 16.39 (53-91Ž4); 5. Damian Larkins, Springfield, 16.28 (53-5); 6. Russ Yurs, Wis.-Platteville, 16.11 (52-101Ž4).

35-pound weight throw: 1. Billy McEvila, Bates, 17.93 (58-10); 2. Mike Seifert, Wis.-La Crosse, 17.66 (57-111Ž4); 3. Bryan Cunningham, Wis.-Platteville, 17.64 (57-101Ž2); 4. Michael Pockoski, Worcester Tech, 17.47 (57-33Ž4); 5. Mike Campbell, Wis.-La Crosse, 17.33 (56-101Ž4); 6. Lucas Adams, Bates, 17.11 (56-13Ž4).