Panthers Gear Up for Big East Indoor Championships
2/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Feb. 19, 2009
BIG EAST Championship Central | Live Results and Heat Sheets |
PITTSBURGH- The Panthers are preparing for one of the most anticipated meets of the indoor season. After competing at the Armory in New York, NY just two weekends ago, members of the men’s and women’s track and field teams will be at the Armory once again, only this time, they will be competing in the Big East Indoor Championships.
The New Balance Armory Track is one of the world’s fastest indoor tracks, and a number of big names have competed in meets held at the facility. Alan Webb, the American record holder in the mile, is among the many athletes who have competed at the Armory at the high school and collegiate levels.
For spectators, the meet should be well worth it. The New Balance Collegiate Invitational, which was held two weeks ago at the Armory, was an exciting meet. Spectators and participants should expect nothing less at the Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Those who have met the Big East qualifying standards will compete. Pittsburgh will be sending a number of track and field athletes to the meet. Mycaiah Clemons, who was recently named Big East Track Athlete of the week, will be likely to lead the women’s team at the Armory. Among the other athletes joining Clemons for the women’s team will be Janessa Murphy, Anita James, Sarah Anderson, and Kari Weimerskirch.
Murphy will lead the women in the jumps. She came in first place in the long jump at the State Farm Games on Jan. 24, and has placed consistently at every indoor competition. James has also been consistent in the long jump and triple jump. She earned second place in the triple jump at the Akron Invitational which was held earlier this indoor track season.
Sophomore Kari Weimerskirch has been a factor for the women’s team in the indoor pentathlon. Last weekend at the Akron Invitational, she placed fourth for the Panthers with 3,107 points, a season-high.
Greg Kareis, Eric Jones, Garrett Larkin, and Dan Kwiatkowski are among the athletes who will be competing for the men’s team. Kareis’ times have been improving all season. His best performance thus far was at the Penn State National Invitational where he turned in a time of 4:15.67 for second place in the one mile run.
Jones has been a major contributor for the Panthers in the field events. The senior has placed in the long jump and triple jump all season with his best performance being at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational where he hit a mark of 15.13 meters in the triple jump.
Larkin and Kwiatkowski will lead the Panthers once again in the throwing events. Kwiatkowski placed first in the shot put at the State Farm Games on Jan. 24, but his best performance of the season was at the Penn State Open on Jan. 17 where he hit for 16.02 meters, earning third place. Larkin has consistently been in the top ten this indoor season in both the weight throw and the shot put, with a high mark of 15.69 meters in the weight throw at the Penn State Open on Jan. 17.
The Big East Conference will host the meet, which will start at 8 a.m. on Feb. 21 and 22. Several Big East teams, including Louisville and the Georgetown men’s team have already been nationally ranked. Live meet results can be tracked online at the Big East website.