Villanova University

Feb. 20, 2005

SYRACUSE, N.Y.--The 2005 Big East Conference indoor track & field championships were held this weekend at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University. In women's action, the Wildcats tallied 84 points to finish in fourth place, while the Villanova men registered 75 points to place fifth.

Notre Dame won the men's team championship with 182 points, while Pittsburgh earned the women's team title with 161.50 points.

Junior Marina Muncan led the way for the Wildcat women with two individual Big East titles. Muncan won the 1,000 meter run with a time of 2:49.13 to easily outdistance West Virginia's Jennifer Davis who was clocked in 2:52.11. Muncan also captured the mile run with a time of 4:50.17. Stephanie Madia of West Virginia was second in 4:52.29, while Villanova's Ioana Parusheva was third in 4:52.54.

In the 60 meter hurdles, Villanova senior Monique Morgan earned her first conference title in a time of 8.42. Morgan defeated Connecticut senior April Garner who was second in 8.44. In the 4x800 meter relay, Villanova put six seconds between it and the second place finisher Georgetown. The Wildcats winning time was 8:53.34.

The Villanova women also received second place efforts from Colleen Taylor in the 800 meter run and freshman Arusha McKenzie in the 500 meter dash. Taylor's time of 2:10.91 was second only to West Virginia senior Jennifer Kemp who ran 2:10.26. McKenzie ran 1:13.88 to finish just behind Tiffany Gunn of Notre Dame (1:13.44).

Sophomore Drew Eckman highlighted the Villanova men's effort by taking home first place honors in the 500 meter dash. Eckman was timed in 1:02.38 to edge Ryan Westman of Rutgers who was clocked in 1:03.10.

The Villanova men also received a strong effort from the 4x800 meter relay squad that registered a first place effort in 7:37.84. Villanova's 4x400 meter relay team earned a second place finish.

In the 1,000 meter run, Wildcat senior Ryan Hayden ran 2:25.97 to place second behind Liam Reale of Providence who was timed in 2:24.58. In the 800 meter run, Villanova sophomore Mark Korich was third with a clocking of 1:51.91. Syracuse's Valerij Petrulevich garnered first place accolades in 1:51.61, while Richard Jones of Providence was second in 1:51.79.