Pittsburgh's Women's Track and Field Team Nationally Ranked
2/1/2005
The Panthers move into national rankings for the first time in recent history.
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh?s women's track and field team moved into national rankings for the first time in recent history as it is ranked 20th (tied) in the latest Track Wire 25 Women's Indoor Track and Field rankings released Tuesday. The Panthers are tied with Georgia, Colorado State, Baylor and Clemson.
Pittsburgh has several student-athletes ranked among national leaders in their respective events including senior Maureen McCandless (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Acad.) who posted the nations top mark this season in winning the Penn State National Open last weekend. McCandless? time of 15:48.10 in the 5,000 meters set a new Penn State facility record nearly 30 seconds better than the next best collegian. It is the fourth fastest time in the world this year and would have placed her third at last year?s Indoor National Championships. Her time is also a new school record, breaking the record set by Camela Mariani in 1992 (16:57.03).
Other nationally ranked student-athletes include senior Tamara McGill (Franklin Park, N.J./Franklin), who ranks second in the nation in the pentathlon with a score of 4,023 points. Senior Amanda Walker (Hampton, Va./Bethel) ranks fourth in the shot put (54'2 ?) and ninth in the weight throw (66' 7"), both which are school records. Senior Lamoy Stephens (Westmoreland, Jamaica/Mannings) ranks 18th in the triple jump (41'8") while junior Marissa Dudek (Pottstown, Pa./St. Pius X) ranks 10th in the pole vault with a school record of 13' ?.
The Panthers will return to action Feb. 4-5 with athletes competing at the Akron Open Saturday and others competing at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York City.