MSU Cross Country And Track And Field Teams Hold Banquet
4/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
April 8, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's and women's cross country and track and field teams held a combined banquet last weekend at the Smith Center. Awards were presented based on the cross country and indoor track seasons.
Sophomore Chris Toloff (Novi) and junior Michelle Carson (Winnipeg, Manitoba) were named cross country MVPs. Toloff placed fifth out of 244 runners at the Pre-Nationals, finished 13th at the NCAA Regionals and finished 17th at the Big Ten Championships. Carson earned All-American status by placing 20th at the NCAA Championships, was named Women's Big Ten Cross Country Athlete of the Year after racing to the 2002 individual crown at the Big Ten Championships, was a two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Week and was the League's top performer at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational.
Juniors Andrew Marsh (Grand Ledge) and Sarah Pepera (Ortonville) were named most improved on the men's and women's cross country teams, respectively. Marsh was MSU's top finisher at the NCAA Championships, placing 41st, and was the team's second-best performer at the Big Ten Championships. Pepera earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by placing eighth at the Big Ten Championships, finished 31st at the NCAA Regionals and was MSU's No. 3 runner.
For track and field, juniors Steve Manz (West Branch) and Jamie Krzyminski (Corunna) were named MVPs. Manz finished 12th at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the shot put and established a new MSU indoor record in the shot put (61-8 ?) when he placed third at the Big Ten Championships. Krzyminski repeated as Big Ten champion in the 5,000, placed 16th in the 5,000 at the NCAA Indoor Championships and won that event in a school-record time of 16:17.50 at the prestigious Armory Invitational.
The most improved performers on the men's and women's track and field teams were redshirt freshman Julien Williams (Windermere, Fla.) and sophomore Danielle Linenger (Washington), respectively. Williams placed eighth in the long jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump at the Red Simmons Invitational and was second in the long jump at the Meyo Invitational. Linenger was MSU's top high jumper, tying for sixth at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, tying for third at the Meyo Invitational and tying for fifth at the Armory Invitational.