East Carolina University
Christopher Newport
Indoor Track Opens Season At Christopher Newport
December 07, 2008 | Track & Field
Dec. 7, 2008
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The East Carolina indoor track team officially commenced its season on Saturday at the 2008 Holiday Open, held inside the Freeman Center on the campus of Christopher Newport University. There were 28 schools in attendance and more 750 athletes competing in the event
In all, the Pirates turned in 13 top five finishes in event finals, highlighted by an individual title by senior Kris Bell in the 55-meter hurdles with a winning time of 7.59 seconds. The most successful event on the day was the weight throw, as five athletes were listed in the top 10.
In field events, the squad enjoyed two second-place results by Stephanie McDougal in the pole vault (3.50m) and Ryan Onofrio in the weight throw (14.16m). ECU also received a pair of third-place finishes from Addison Johnson in the pole vault (4.10m) and Daniel Varela in the weight throw (14.90m). Rounding out the top five field showings for the Pirates were team co-captain Valeria Moore in the high jump (fifth, 1.63m) and Charlene Grady in the weight throw (fourth, 15.49m).
Additionally, eight more members of the team finished in the top 10 led by Kim Kanala with a sixth-place weight throw mark of 14.99m. Abby Way ended up seventh in the pole vault (3.20m) while Amy Mueller sat seventh in the shot put (12.27m), Donisha Brown finished seventh in the weight throw (14.07), Meagan Lewis turned in an eighth place result in the weight throw (13.97m), Chante Sessoms ended up ninth in the long jump (5.29m), Percy Hinnant finished ninth, also in the long jump (6.72) and Jaimie Brown earned a 10th-place showing in the triple jump (10.39m).
In addition to Bell's title in the 55-meter hurdles, several other runners excelled on the track. The Pirates received second and third-place finishes by Ericka Charles in the 600m run (1:44.73) and Lindsay Dolan in the 55-meter hurdles (8.23), respectively while a trio of athletes produced fourth-place showings in A.J. Malicdem (55-meter hurdles, 7.77), Chris Richardson (600-meter run, 1:24.53) and the ECU "A" 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Richardson, Sean Bowen, David Rucker and Adian Sanderson (3:27.75).
Others that placed in the top 10 in the track events included Ron Wright (400-meter dash, fifth, 50.14), Sessoms (400-meter dash, ninth, 59.70), Funsha Jackson (200-meter dash, ninth, 26.35) and Shalice Anderson (440-meter dash, 10th, 59.90). Additionally, the 4x400 relay combination of Wright, Kevin Thompson, Mario Briscoe and Michael Harris ended up sixth with a time of 3:28.75, just one second behind their teammates.
The indoor track season gets into full swing in January when the Pirates travel to College Station, Pa. to participate in the Penn State Open. The meet is scheduled for Jan. 17 inside the Ashenfelter Multi-Sport Facility.
