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Track And Field Squads Travel To Penn Relays
April 28, 2000
Complete Release in PDF Format
Villanova Track & Field
Wildcat Quick Facts
Marcus O'Sullivan O'Sullivan arrives at Villanova with some lofty credentials. At the prestigious Millrose Games held at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 13, 1998, O'Sullivan ran a sub-4:00 mile for the 100th time in his illustrious career, becoming just the third runner in history to accomplish this feat. With 101 sub- 4:00 miles to his credit, O'Sullivan ranks third all-time behind Steve Scott and John Walker. In the fall of 1998, O'Sullivan started his coaching career in fine fashion as he led the Villanova women to the 1998 NCAA Cross Country National Championship, in addition to guiding the women's squad to the Big East title. For his efforts, O'Sullivan was named 1998 USTCA National Women's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year and he and his assistants were named Big East Conference Women's Cross Country Staff of the Year. This past winter, O'Sullivan led the Villanova women's team to the 2000 Big Esat indoor track & field championship as the Wildcats edged out Georgetown by 1/2 point to claim the title. O'Sullivan and his assistants were rewarded by earning Big East indoor track & field Coaching Staff of the Year. O'Sullivan was also named the Mid Atlantic track & field Coach of the Year. Running under the guidance of the legendary Jumbo Elliott for one season and Charlie Jenkins for two years, O'Sullivan established himself as one of Villanova's all-time great performers garnering four varsity letters each in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. Throughout his Main Line running career, O'Sullivan captured one NCAA indoor title, 10 Big East Conference indoor and outdoor titles, two IC4A indoor championships and six Penn Relay Carnival Championship of America watches. His NCAA indoor title came in 1983 when he ran the third leg on Villanova's Two Mile Relay which set a national collegiate and NCAA indoor meet record of 7:32.28. During the 1984 NCAA Outdoor Championships, he tallied a second place finish in the 1500 meters in a time of 3:37.41. At the IC4A Championships, O'Sullivan turned in some of his best collegiate performances. In 1983 and 1984, he recorded back-to-back titles in the indoor mile in times of 4:00.98 and 4:03.85 respectively. Also, in 1984, he claimed a second place finish in the IC4A Outdoor 1500m with a time of 3:40.83. In Big East Conference Championships, O'Sullivan posted five first place finishes including the 1981 indoor 1500 meters, both the 1983 cross country crown and indoor 1500 meters and the indoor 1500 meters and outdoor 5000 meters in 1984. He also registered two second place finishes during the 1982 season in both the indoor 800 meters and the outdoor 1500 meters. At the 1981 Big East Conference Indoor Championships, O'Sullivan was named the meet's Most Outstanding Freshman Performer. O'Sullivan also made his mark at the famous Penn Relay Carnival where he earned six Championship of America watches during his career. His shining moment at the Penn Relays came in 1984 when he ran a relay record 1500 meter split of 3:38.7 during the anchor leg of Villanova's 6000 meter relay squad that finished first in a national collegiate and meet record time of 14:52.81. In 1982, he ran the lead off leg on the Wildcats' 3200 meter relay that finished first in national collegiate and meet record 7:12.29. Upon graduation from Villanova, O'Sullivan went on to enjoy an outstanding international career that included appearances in four Olympic Games for his native country of Ireland. He competed in the 800m and 1500m in Los Angeles in 1984, was a finalist in the 1500m in Seoul in 1988 and raced in the 1500m at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. His career highlights include three World Indoor Championships in the 1500m in 1987, 1989 and 1993, as well as a world record in the indoor 1500m (3:35.4) in 1989. This 1500m time, along with his best indoor mile of 3:50.9, remain among the five-best performances ever in those events indoors. O'Sullivan graduated from Villanova in 1984 with a degree in accounting and went on to earn his MBA from Villanova in 1989. After passing the CPA exam, O'Sullivan served as a part-time faculty member of the Villanova Marketing Department from 1992-93. O'Sullivan's wife, the former Mary Spinks, earned a nursing degree from Villanova in 1986. The couple has two children, Laura (11), and Christopher (8).
PENN RELAY SUCCESS: Since the Villanova women's track & field team began competing at the Penn Relays in 1979, the Wildcat women have won 25 Penn Relay plaques, which is the most by any women's team in the history of the meet. The Villanova women have won 21 times in the last 12 years, capturing 21 of the 35 races they have entered. From 1987-95, the Villanova women won at least one Championship of America race. Overall, the women have won seven of the last 10 4x1500m relay titles, seven of the last 12 4x800m titles and eight of the last 13 DMR championships. On the men's side, the Wildcats have won more relay titles than any other school with a total of 87. The Villanova men last won a Penn Relay Championship of America in 1993 (4x1500m Relay).
CONCENTRATING ON TWO: Over the years, Villanova has consistently entered teams in all three major relay events (4x800, 4x1500, DMR). However, due to a limited roster and lack of depth, the Villanova women will not compete in the 4x800 this year and instead will concentrate on the 4x1500 and the DMR. This is the second-straight year that the Villanova women have not participated in the 4x800 event. On the men's side, the Wildcats will only enter one event as they will run in Friday's DMR. Throughout their storied tradition at the Penn Relays, the Villanova men have won three or more relays 17 times, while the Wildcat women have claimed three or more relay championships on four occasions. The last time the men won three or more relays came in 1982 with the women accomplishing the feat as recently as 1997.
CHANGE OF LUCK: The Villanova women have been shutout the last two years at the Penn Relays. The last time the Villanova women went three years without claiming a Penn Relays Championship of America event was from 1980-83 when the Wildcats left the Franklin Field track empty handed.
A LOOK BACK: Last year at the Penn Relays, a short-handed and injury plagued Wildcat team ran in both the DMR and 4x1500m relay. The DMR team of Carmen Douma, Leashia Rahr, Lony'e Johnson and Carrie Tollefson finished sixth in a time of 11:10.87. Tulane won the event in 10:55.71. In the 4x1500, the Wildcat foursome of Kristine Jost, Carmen Douma, Kristen Nicolini and Carrie Tollefson also placed fourth in a time of 17:51.24. Wisconsin captured the race in 17:37.15. In 1998, an injury-plagued Villanova squad ran admirably but came up a bit short. Behind the inspired running of Douma, Villanova finished the 1998 relays with a second place finish and two third place efforts. Douma ran the anchor leg on all three relays. The Wildcat team of Tamieka Grizzle, Johnson, Leashia Rahr and Douma ran 11:07.30 to finish narrowly behind Wisconsin who was timed in 11:06.88. In the 3200 meter relay, Douma, Grizzle and Johnson teamed with Nicolini to run 8:41.53 and finish third behind Georgetown (8:36.16) and Florida (8:38.78). In the 6000-meter relay, Ann McGranahan joined Grizzle, Nicolini and Douma to finish third in 18:00.63. Wisconsin won the evnt in 17:40.30, while Stanford was second in 17:48.52.
DMR SUCCESS: The Villanova women's distance medley relay team had a great deal of success in the 90's at the Penn Relays. The Wildcats captured this event five times last decade (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997) and nine times overall.
ROOM OF CHAMPIONS: You would be hard-pressed to find a more impressive dorm room than the one occupied by the All-American duo of Carrie Tollefson and Carmen Douma. Together, the pair have combined to win eight individual national championships, one NCAA team title and they have garnered All-American accolades 20 times. In addition, Tollefson and Douma have won 16 Big East Conference titles between them. At the Penn Relays, Douma and Tollefson have a total of three watches. In 1997, Douma was a member of both the DMR and 4x800 winning teams, while Tollefson also ran a leg on that 1997 DMR team.
REIGNING CHAMPIONS: Carrie Tollefson and Carmen Douma have made their marks as two of the greats in the storied tradition of Villanova women's track & field. At the 2000 NCAA indoor track & field championships, both Tollefson and Douma claimed NCAA championships. Tollefson defended her 3,000 meter indoor title with a time of 9:13.68, while Douma won the mile with a clocking of 4:39.91. At last year's NCAA outdoor championships, Tollefson captured both the 3,000 and 5,000 championships. The following is a breakdown of the accomplishments of both Tollefson and Douma
CARRIE TOLLEFSON
ROOKIE DEBUT: Freshman Liz Awtrey will be making her collegiate Penn Relay debut this week. Awtrey, a native of Burke Va., will be running the leadoff leg on Villanova's 4x1500 relay squad. Awtrey will join the veteran group of Kristen Nicolini, Carmen Douma and Carrie Tollefson on the relay squad. Tollefson and Nicolini are fifth-year seniors, while Douma is a fourth-year senior. Villanova's women's distance coach Gina Procaccio describes why she chose Awtrey by saying, "The reason I decided to put her on the 4x1500 relay yeam is that she's somebody who really comes through for us when we need her. She's someone I think I can depend on to give 100 percent every time." In February at the Big East indoor championships, Awtrey ran a personal best of 9:37.42 in the 3,000 meters to finish fifth, before competing twenty minutes later on the 4x800 meter relay team that placed second.
EXPERIENCED GROUP: Of the eight spots occupied by Villanova runners on the DMR and 4x1500m relay team, seven are seniors who have competed at the Penn Relays before. The only non-senior in the group is freshman Liz Awtrey.
WALL OF FAME: Ed Collymore (class of '59) and the 1990 Villanova women's 4x1500 meter relay team will be inducted into the Penn Relay Carnival Wall of Fame. Induction ceremonies will take place on Saturday, April 29th. Collymore won six watches at the Penn Relays in his three varsity years at Villanova, including three in 1958 when he ran on a trio of record setting relay teams. The 1990 relay team of Nnenna Lynch, Sonia O'Sullivan, Cheri Goddard and Kathy Franey ran 17:18.10 which still rates as the collegiate record for this event. |
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