Behind two record-setting performances, track and field solid at Gotham Cup

Another event, another record for Amanda Cole.

The senior headlined another solid showing for the men’s and women’s track and field teams at the Gotham Cup last Friday at the New York City Armory, as she broke the school record in the weight throw and placed first in the shot put.

In addition, freshman Travis Mahoney broke the school record in the 3,000-meter for the men’s team, while sophomore Joshua Louis finished third in the high jump, which hit Eastern College Athletic Conference standards.

For the women, sophomore Paris Williams paced the 500-meter and sophomore Assata Cowart won the 800-meter.

Cole, who entered the competition as one of the Atlantic Ten Conference’s Performers of the Week, set a new Temple record in the weight throw at 54-9 3/4, breaking her previous mark of 41-8 3/4 set at the Jack Pyrah Invitational to meet ECAC standards. At the Cup, the two-time Performer and Athlete of the Week continued her success by placing first in the event, breaking her own record and notching her third victory in three meets.

“My goal for every indoor and outdoor season opener is always to improve on my record from the previous season and qualify for ECACs,” Cole said. “Being able to do this early in the season takes away the pressure and allows me to be able to go into each meet after that and just throw without having to think about making a certain distance. I can think about just throwing far. It also makes it easy to focus on other goals such as qualifying for other postseason meets.”

Louis, who was the A-10 Performer of the Week on the men’s side, also finished 15th in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.31 seconds.

“I had a pretty good day of running and jumping, but I do plan on making a few minor adjustments [for next meet],” he said. “If you get too tied up in the mental aspect, then you forget that the overall key to success and winning is to have fun doing it. It’s a mind game. Prepare yourself mentally, and anything is possible.”

Williams, who won A-10 Indoor Track Rookie of the Week last week, was the top collegiate finisher in the 500-meter and secured third in the 4 x 400 meter relay with a time of 3 minutes, 58.55 seconds.

“I am trying to be a leader this year, and as one of the successful athletes on the team, I [am trying] to motivate my teammates toward an A-10 Championship,” Williams said. “We have a lot of talented freshmen this year that will help our team, and I am trying to be an example to them so that they can see that hard work pays off.”

Like Williams, sophomore Tim Boeni also has confidence in his fellow squad. The IC4A qualifier, who led the Owls at last season’s A-10 Championships with his second place finish in the long jump, finished seventh in the event at the Gotham Cup at 6.92 meters.

“The team this year is still very young, but a lot of us have a lot of experience in competing against some of the best track athletes in the country,” he said. “It makes competing much less stressful knowing there are strictly sprinters with a lot of potential and a bunch of jumpers with a lot of potential. If I don’t perform well one meet, I know there are other guys ready to pick up the slack.”

But there was no slack, as both Owls teams combined for 31 Top 10 finishes at the Gotham Cup. Next up for the team is the Terrier Classic in Boston on Jan. 23 and 24.

Joe Polinsky can be reached at joe.polinsky@temple.edu.

Track and field gets off to fast start

After a successful 2008 campaign, the track and field team got back to work for the first time this season at the Jack Pyrah Invitational at Haverford College.

The meet, on the women’s side, was highlighted by senior Amanda Cole breaking the school record in the weight throw and winning the shot put. For the men, sophomore Josue Louis won the high jump and finished second in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.72.

Ultimately, the Owls combined to finish first in seven events at the Invitational.

Temple was selected to finish fifth in the Atlantic Ten Conference for both men and women. The men’s team will enter competition this year with experience from junior Tim Boeni and Louis, the 2007 Atlantic Ten Conference Indoor Rookie of the Year. As for the women, sophomore Paris Williams, along with seniors Cole and Devon DuPont, will lead a young squad that only lost one senior from last season.

Also a central figure to the Owls will be senior Jim Waddington, who is a middle distance runner. Formerly the No. 2 runner on the squad, Waddington is expecting big things from his team this year.

“I have very high expectations for the team this year,” he said. “We have a lot of leadership and experience on the team that is going to help us improve in the conference and possibly contend for the A-10 title.”

So far, the Owls are in a decent spot to get that done.

In addition to the achievements of Cole and Louis last weekend, sophomore Brittany McRae won the long jump, breaking the meet record and meeting ECAC qualifying standards in the process.

On top of that, for the women, Talitha Smith won the high jump and Williams won the 300-meters.
But perhaps most notably for the women, DuPont, the Owls’ first-ever heptathlon winner, finished second in the 55-meters with a time of 7.34, second in the long jump and third in the 55-meter hurdles.

DuPont’s second place finish in the long jump broke the previous meet record and qualified her for ECACs.

The men were not outdone, as sophomore Miles Dryden won the long jump, sophomore Lou Parisi finished second in the 800-meters, freshman Travis Mahoney finished third in the 300-meters and junior Grant West finished second in the weight throw.

West is all about being competitive and working hard.

“My individual expectations for the coming season are very high,” he said. “My goals for indoor track are to break the school record, win the A-10s [in my respective event] and make the All-East team at the IC4As. Ultimately, [my goal is] to go out every meet and set a [new] personal record.”

Like West, senior Mitchell Stroh also talked about his competitiveness and the expectations he set for himself and the team.

“I’m shooting for an individual medal, as well as two relay medals in the 4×800 and 4×400,” he said. “As [far as] the team, I think that we should finish in the top three in the conference, but we are always looking to take the top spot. We have a lot of young talent, and there is a great amount of dedication on the team.”

The Owls return to action Jan. 9 for the Metropolitan Invitational in New York.

Joe Polinsky can be reached at joe.polinsky@temple.edu.

Temple Athletics: 10 reasons why you should care about your Owls

For the incoming freshmen and transfer students, we’ve got you covered when it comes to Temple athletics.

The beginning of the semester can be stressful as you move-in into residence halls, attend classes and get acclimated to the campus and its surroundings. We here at The Temple News are going to take some pressure off your transition by introducing you to Temple athletics with a top ten list that would make David Letterman proud.

1. “Return to Glory”
It’s a very exciting time for the men’s basketball program. Last season, the men earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000-01 by beating city rival Saint Joseph’s University in the Atlantic Ten Conference Championship. They finished second in the A-10 regular season standings and will return all but one starter to the team this season. Expectations are high for Coach Fran Dunphy’s squad in 2008.

2. “Flying high”
The times when the football program was the butt of everyone’s jokes are over. Third-year coach Al Golden and company look to improve on a 4-8 record as they return all but one starter from last season. Watch out for the Owls defense, which continues to improve after leading the nation in redzone defense, and ranking 14th in third-down defense and 44th overall in total defense. A Mid-American Conference title is within reach.

3. “We want revenge”
You might see some students around campus wearing a white T-shirt that says “JUSTICE!” Don’t ask the meaning because it’s a touchy subject for all Owls fans. Last September 15th, Temple trailed 22-17 with a 4th-and-6 in University of Connecticut’s redzone. Senior quarterback Adam DiMichele handed the ball off to junior running back Jason Harper on a reverse, who then handed off to junior wide receiver Dy’Onne Crudup. Under pressure, Crudup tossed it into the back of the endzone, intending it for DiMichele. The ball was tipped and senior wide receiver Bruce Francis looked to catch it with a foot in bounds. The pass was originally ruled incomplete and then, after a review, the play stood. The two teams meet on Sept. 6 at Lincoln Financial Field.

4. “Quietly dominating”
It might not get the publicity of other sports, but the lacrosse team was arguably the most impressive program last season. With a 13-7 record and an A-10 regular seashhon title, the Owls earned a birth in the NCAA Tournament. Despite falling to Maryland in the first round, the Owls posted a successful season led by then-seniors Nicole Caniglia, Berkley Summerlin and Whitney Richards.

5. “Extreme Makeover: Women’s Basketball Edition”
There will be a whole new look for the program after the departure of esteemed coach Dawn Staley. Former Connecticut assistant Tonya Cardoza will replace the local legend, who spent eight years on North Broad Street. Also leaving is center Lady Comfort and guard Ashley Morris, two key members of a team that went to the NCAA Tournament last season. Look for junior guard LaKeisha Eaddy and senior center Shanea Cotton to take over as the leaders of the team as the Owls head into the 2008-09 season.

6. “Big Man on Campus”
Senior guard Dionte Christmas from the men’s basketball team is trying to improve on a season where he led the team in scoring at 19.7 points per game. He is a threat to score from
behind the three-point line and the clear go-to guy after the departure of senior guard Mark Tyndale. Another strong year for Christmas could mean a chance to get drafted into the NBA.

7. “Throwing Stones”
Senior Amanda Cole broke her own school record in the indoor weight throw with a distance of 52-2 ½ feet and also holds the school record for the outdoor hammer throw. Watch out this year as Cole tries to improve on her record.

8. “Who’s the best Hooter?”
Graduates Richie Blyweiss and Erik Johnson are leaving behind the suit meaning that a new Hooter, the university’s official mascot, will be kicking off the 2008-09 athletic season. The mascot will be at the football and basketball games entertaining the crowd. Keep your eye out for when Hooter leads the band.

9. “Ambler Annex”
While walking around campus, you might wonder why you don’t see a baseball or soccer field around. To find them, you have to head to the Ambler Campus in the suburbs of Philadelphia. It’s a distance away but transportation is provided and it’s worth the trip.

10. “Show us what you got”
So you were a pretty big deal in high school? Well, let’s see if you still have it. Start off by joining an intramural team. There is no shortage of choices including flag football, soccer, softball, floor hockey and basketball.

Pete Dorchak can be reached at pdorchak@temple.edu