March 10, 2011
Gardner: It's about being a competitor | NCAA Championship Central
Considering UMass Lowell’s field for the 2011 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championship, there is nothing but reason for optimism.
The two-day event opens Friday morning at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Both days will be streamed live at www.ncaa.com while real-time results will be available at www.flashresults.com.
There is a wealth of experience as eight members of UMass Lowell’s contingent have prior experience in the NCAA Championship, whether indoor, outdoor or cross country.
There is the unexpected, as three promising freshmen unexpectedly booked their places.
And above all, there is promise. Sophomore Evan White (Tewksbury, Mass.) is the No. 1 seed in the 200 meter dash by virtue of posting the fastest time in the country this season (21.09) while UMass Lowell’s women’s and men’s relay teams are both seeded third; the men with a time of 3:11.78 and the women with a time of 3:48.15.
“Realistically we can come home with 8-10 All-Americans,” said UMass Lowell Head Coach Gary Gardner. “I think the men can come home with a top 15 top 20 finish in the team race. I think those are pretty realistic expectations going into it.”
White, who eclipsed his own school record four times this season, leads a field of 16 sprinters separated by a mere 0.53 seconds. After finishing fourth last year (21.65 seconds) he is also the youngest in the top nine places.
White will also run a split on UMass Lowell’s 4X400 meter relay team, alongside senior Donte Brown (Raynham, Mass.), sophomore Craig Bennett (Milton, Mass.) and freshman Keith Lewis (Nashua, N.H.).
Brown, who is the No. 6 seed in the 400 meter dash, comes into the NCAAs looking to make up for a ninth-place effort last year (49.59 seconds) – one place shy of All-American honors – while suffering from mononucleosis. He earned All-American honors in 2009, placing seventh in 49.27.
UMass Lowell’s women’s foursome is banking on its prior experience to earn All-America status. Juniors Nicole Giaquinto (Winthrop, Mass.) and Amy Delgado (Bridgewater, Mass.) and sophomore Shannon Cunningham (Foxboro, Mass.) were members of last year’s foursome which placed ninth at the NCAA indoors (3:52.53) and 12th at the outdoors (3:48.15).
Freshman Elisabeth Monty (Charlton, Mass.) will also run a leg.
Bennett and freshman David Brown (Chelmsford, Mass.) are also pulling double duty. Bennett has replaced injured junior Jeff Wundt (Southwick, Mass.) in the 400 meters on UMass Lowell’s distance medley relay team while Brown will run the open 800 meters and the 800 as part of the DMR.
Also running the DMR will be junior Danny Wang (Haverhill, Mass.) in the 1,200 meters and junior Eric McDonald (Groveland, Mass.) in the mile.
David Brown is seeded 12th in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.57. He is the sole freshman in the field of 12.
Freshman Candace Greene (Annapolis, Md.) has gratefully carried on UMass Lowell’s tradition of shot putters and is one of two freshmen in the field of 13. She is seeded 11th with a throw of 47’ 1.0’’.
“We have a mixture of some older kids, kids who have been there a few times such as Donte, Amy and Danny Wang, and we have some kids who are new to this,” said Gardner. “At the NCAAs anything can happen. It’s about being a competitor and being able to compete on that particular day.”
UMass Lowell’s 2011 NCAA Division II
Indoor Track & Field Championship Schedule
Friday, Mar. 11 (Eastern standard time)
7:05: Men’s 400 meter dash preliminary (Donte Brown)
8:05: Men’s 800 meters preliminary (David Brown)
9:05: Men’s 200 meter dash preliminary (Evan White)
9:45: Men’s distance medley relay (David Brown, Craig Bennett, Danny Wang, Eric McDonald)
Saturday, Mar. 12
6:05: Women’s shot put (Candace Greene)
6:30: Men’s 400 meter dash final (Donte Brown)
7:10: Men’s 800 meters final (David Brown)
7:55: Men’s 200 meter dash final (Evan White)
8:45: Women’s 4X400 meter dash (Shannon Cunningham, Nicole Giaquinto, Elisabeth Monty, Amy Delgado)
8:55: Men’s 4X400 meter relay (Evan White, Donte Brown, Craig Bennett, Keith Lewis)
