2008-09 Track and Field Schedule Unveiled
10/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | TRACK AND FIELD
CHICAGO The DePaul men’s and women’s track and field coach, Pat Savage, unveiled the program’s 2008-09 schedule today. The Blue Demons return 28 letter-winners from last year’s squad, including 13 BIG EAST Conference Championship qualifying athletes.
The indoor season opens on December 5, when the team travels to Notre Dame, Ind. for the Blue and Gold Meet. They follow up with six more meets in preparation for the BIG EAST Indoor Championships, including two more trips to Notre Dame, two at Grand Valley State University, and one each at Purdue and Indiana.
The 2008-09 conference championships are scheduled to take place at the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory in New York City on February 21-22. In order to qualify for the event, individuals from any of the BIG EAST’s 16 schools must meet qualifying standards.
DePaul brought 18 athletes, including 12 returners, to the BIG EAST Indoor Championships last season. Overall, the women placed 15th while the men placed 10th.
The outdoor season begins on March 28, when the Blue Demons travel to Arlington, Texas for the Bobby Lane Invitational. Six meets total are scheduled in preparation for the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships hosted by Villanova on May 1. The last chance for DePaul to qualify for the conference meet will be at the Second Annual DePaul Relays. The home event takes place on April 24 at the Lane Tech track and field facility. The inaugural DePaul Relays featured 15 first place finishes in various events, including seven BIG EAST qualification marks met, and one DePaul school record set. (Chris Johnston. Pole Vault - 3.96m)
The 2007-08 BIG EAST Outdoor Championships yielded two conference champions in then sophomore Brad Millar and freshman Melissa Fraser. Millar, who won his second title in as many years, earned first place in the hammer throw after hitting a mark of 58.22m. Fraser threw the javelin for an NCAA qualification distance of 47.16m. She went on to advance to the NCAA Championships, a first for a Blue Demon female thrower.
Other key returners include Mary Cate Quiett, Stephanie Williams, and Joe Strawder. During her freshman campaign, Quiett tallied seven DePaul school records, helping her earn the indoor season’s Most Outstanding Player award. Quiett’s success extends to the classroom as well, having been named to the 2008 USTFCCCA’s All-Academic team, along with Millar.
Stephanie Williams returns for her senior year after breaking three school records herself over the course of the outdoor season. Williams broke Sherri Bean’s 21 year old record in the 100m dash by sprinting to the line in a time of 11.80. In addition, Williams met BIG EAST qualifying standards 27 times in four different events, including the indoor 60m and 200m, and the outdoor 100m and 200m. In her signature event, the 200m, Williams placed fifth overall in the outdoor conference championships with a time of 24.01.
Leading the Blue Demons in the long and triple jumps, Joe Strawder returns for his junior season. Having hit conference qualifying standards in all but three jumps of his 2007-08 campaign, the upperclassman will be counted upon to put up big numbers again this season. Strawder, whose season-best long jump was 7.41m, qualified of the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships for the second time in his career.
For a full listing of the 2008-09 schedule, visit the schedule/results page.