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Track and Field at 1999 Big East Indoor Championships
February 19, 1999
VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Villanova men's and women's track & field teams have combined to capture 13 Big East indoor championships, with the men winning three indoor conference titles (1983, 1985, 1986) and the women claiming 10 indoor crowns (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1997.)
DOMINATION: Since the Big East Conference implemented an indoor championship meet for women in 1983, the Villanova Wildcats have been spectacular, capturing 10 of the 15 titles. Villanova won the first six indoor championships from 1983-88, before winning four indoor conference titles in the 1990's. Georgetown has the second most Big East indoor women's titles with three.
LEADING THE WAY: Even though Wildcat head track & field coach Marcus O'Sullivan is coaching in his first Big East Indoor Championship, he is no stranger to the meet. As a runner at Villanova from 1981-84, O'Sullivan won four Big East indoor championships including the 1,500 meters in 1984, 1983 and 1981 and he was a member of the winning 4x800 relay squad in 1982. O'Sullivan has started his coaching career off in fine fashion. This past fall, O'Sullivan led the Villanova women to both the NCAA National Championship and Big East Conference title. For his efforts, O'Sullivan was named the USTCA National Cross Country Coach of the Year and he and his assistants were cited as the Big East Cross Country Staff of the Year.
LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT: Last season, both the men's and women's teams finished fourth at the 1998 Big East Indoor Championships. The men finished with 69 points behind Georgetown (145), Notre Dame (127), and Connecticut (90.5), while the women tallied 73 points behind Georgetown (119), Miami (103) and Seton Hall (74).
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: There will be five events in this year's indoor championships that a Villanovan will be defending a title from last year. On the men's side, senior Jermaine Deans will be looking to defend his triple jump title. In the women's events, the Wildcat 4x800 relay and Distance Medley relay along with junior Carmen Douma in the 1,000 meters and sophomore Charmaine Walker in the 55 meter hurdles will try and repeat as Big East indoor champions.
HOPING FOR AN ENCORE: There were many highlights for the Wildcats at last year's Big East Indoor meet with Jermaine Deans topping the list by being named the meet's Most Outstanding Field Performer. After battling the chicken pox the entire week leading up to the meet and actually being quarantined in the University's infirmary, Deans was released on the Friday before the meet and rushed to Syracuse to compete. He responded in fine fashion, winning the triple jump in a personal best and NCAA Provisional qualifying mark of 51-6.5 and placing second in the long jump with a career-best 24-3.5. Deans is the first Villanova jumper in history to win this prestigious award.
HOMECOMING AFFAIR: This year's indoor meet will be a little more special for one Wildcat female performer. Villanova junior Leashia Rahr will be returning to her native Syracuse, N.Y. where she was a standout at Henniger High School. While at Henniger, Rahr was a four-year MVP and a two-time Eastern Champion in the 400 meters. Last year at the Big East indoor meet, Rahr was a member of the champion Distance Medley Relay that ran 11:28.67. At this year's meet, Rahr is expected to compete in the open 400 meter run and on both the DMR and 4x400 relay teams
Villanova Tentative Schedule of Events
Women
Pentathlon April Kotteles
Hurdles Charmaine Walker
Sherese Price
500 Trials Jessica Franks
Lonye Johnson
400 Trials Leashia Rahr
Mile Trials Meghan Courtney
Carmen Douma
Carrie Tollefson
5000m Ann McGranahan
Sarah Vance Goodman
DMR Kristine Jost
Leashia Rahr
Jessica Franks
Carrie Tollefson
Weight Throw Melinda Boykin
Melissa Guinivan
Sarah Hunt
Pole Vault Keely Fallon
Long Jump Marlena Robinson
Shot Put Melinda Boykin
Sarah Hunt
Triple Jump Marlena Robinson
3000m Sarah Vance Goodman
Kristine Jost
Kristen Nicolini
Carrie Tollefson
4x800 TBA
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