2008-09 Track & Field Preview
12/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Dec. 1, 2008
Both the Michigan State men's and women's track and field programs have been running similar paths as of late, both figuratively and literally. Director of track & field and cross country, Walt Drenth, is steadily bringing the program toward the national spotlight and will look to build upon a strong 2007-08 campaign. Last season, the green and white saw 15 student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, while three student-athletes, Nicole Bush, Zoe Pelbart and Sarah Price, qualified for the national championships.
The Spartans return a wealth of talent to their roster in 2008-09, including 11 of their 15 outdoor regional qualifiers and All-American Nicole Bush, who helped the women's squad place 25th at the NCAA Indoor Championships. With a recruiting class full of talented youngsters, the Spartans will once again challenge for a spot among the Big Ten elite.
"Our team is gaining a lot of momentum right now," Drenth said. "Our staff has done a phenomenal job recruiting and they are all excellent coaches. You can't have the kind of kids that we have and the coaches that we have and not be able to reach all of our ultimate goals."
Sprints/Relays
MSU returns several gifted sprinters to the track in 2008-09, highlighted by Jeremy Orr, who has etched his name aside the Spartan greats. During his time in green and white, Orr has eclipsed three indoor school-records, as he currently holds the 60m dash and 400m dash marks, and ran the 400m leg of the distance medley relay team that currently holds the school record. With Orr returning for his senior season, the Spartan sprinters should have enough talent to build on a strong 2007-08 campaign.
"Having a healthy Jeremy Orr this season is enormous to our long-term goals as a team," Drenth commented. "He is a leader on the track and away from the track. We expect big things from him this season."
Senior Michael Smoot also returns to the track for the Spartans this season. Smoot ran a season- and team-best time of 47.25 at the EMU Invite in the 400m dash. Also returning in the short sprints for MSU are several talented underclassmen, highlighted by Yury Ratomski. Ratomski was the Spartans top sprinter in the 100m dash as just a freshman last season and will look to build upon a season that saw him run a personal- and team-best time of 10.73 at the Big Ten Championships. Ratomski tallied the four best times for the Spartans in the 100m dash last season. Keith Hewlett, a transfer from Mississippi State, shined last season with the Spartans. Hewlett ran at the Big Ten Championships in the 200m dash and as a member of the 4x100m relay team. Hewlett will likely make a big impact on the short track this season.
The women are led by a talented group of returning sprinters, starting with Erica Mann and Charelise Davis. Mann was an NCAA Mideast Qualifier in 2008 and has her sights set higher for 2009. Mann ran a personal-best time (11.57) in the 100m dash at the Mideast Regional, closing her season in fine fashion.
"Mann really pressed in the late stages of the season last year and she finished really strong," Drenth said. "We will be counting on her to do the same this season." In 2007, Davis ran a team- and personal-best 24.22 in the 200m dash at the Big Ten Championships. With Davis on the track, the Spartans will have a loaded sprinting corps in 2008-09.
"Charelise had a great year in 2007, but we had to redshirt her last year," Drenth said. "With her coming back, it adds another element to our entire team."
Both Mann and Davis will help to bolster the 4x100m relay team this season as that group will look to qualify for its third consecutive NCAA Mideast Regional appearance.
The Spartan men return one of the top hurdlers in the Big Ten as Jake Hamilton will suit up for his sophomore season with MSU. After finishing seventh in the 400m hurdles at the Big Ten Championships last season as just a freshman, Hamilton looks primed to have a break-out season.
Mid-Distance/Distance
The Spartans saw a large amount of success from their distance runners in 2007-08. Of the Spartans' 15 regional qualifiers on the outdoor circuit, five were distance runners and all five will return this season. The women, who finished 25th at the NCAA Indoor Championships, feature one of the top distance corps in the Big Ten, highlighted by five-time All-American Nicole Bush.
 Nicole Bush leads a talented group of distance runners.  | |
With one year of outdoor eligibility left, Bush looks primed to have her best season in a Spartan uniform. The Wyoming, Mich. native, narrowly missed qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 3,000m steeplechase after posting a personal-best 9:40.27 at the trials, smashing her school record by nine seconds. In addition to her success in the steeplechase, Bush holds the school record in the 3,000m run and is the Spartans' top runner in the 1,500m and 5,000m run as well.
Complimenting Bush this season will be Lisa Senakiewich, Emily MacLeod and Sarah Price. Both Senakiewich and Price were NCAA Mideast qualifiers while Price was able to advance all the way to the NCAA National Championships in the 3,000m steeplechase. Price finished 21st at the NCAA Championships and will look to improve that place heading into 2008-09. Senakiewich made her impact in the 1,500m run, earning a top-five finish in every race that she ran in heading up to the NCAA Mideast Championship. Senakiewich also posted an NCAA provisional time (4:46.26) in the one-mile run during the indoor season as well.
"Bush, Senakeiwich and Price bring a wealth of experience at a high level," Drenth said. "Both Bush and Price have been at nationals before, and we expect Lisa to be there with them this season."
MacLeod, entering her junior season, also saw plenty of success during the 2007-08 season. After clocking in a time of 4:25.71 at the Jesse Owens Classic, MacLeod qualified for her first NCAA Mideast Championship in the 1,500m run. Her regional experience will help her make a run at a spot at the national championships this season.
Also returning is Leah Elenbaas, the school-record holder in the 1,000m run, giving the Spartans a collection of some of the finest distance runners in the Big Ten this season.
Not to be outdone, the men return a wealth of talent to the distance roster heading into the season. Returning for the Spartans is Ian Boyle, Shane Knoll and Dustin Voss. Both Boyle and Voss qualified for NCAA Mideast Championship, while Knoll saw great success on the indoor track. Boyle shined in the 800m run last season, and will likely be a key performer in that event again this season. Boyle will also be looked upon to improve his performance in other mid-distance events, such as the 1,500m run.
Knoll had perhaps the best indoor season of any Spartan in 2007-08. Running an NCAA provisional time of 4:01.45 at the ISU Classic in the one-mile run, Knoll will be one of the top milers in the Big Ten this season. Knoll will look to build upon a seventh place finish at the Big Ten Championships.
"Shane made tremendous strides last season and has picked up where he left off heading into this season," Drenth said. "Last year, he ran a 4:01 mile and with the way he has worked this fall, he is showing every sign of becoming a sub-four-minute miler."
Voss finished the 2007-08 campaign with a strong statement, running a personal-best time of 9:02.53 in the 3,000m steeplechase at the NCAA Mideast Championships. His performance gives him plenty of momentum heading into this year's slate.
Jumps
One of the strongest areas for the Spartans heading into the season will be their collection of talented jumpers. Between Kris Amos, Kyron Foster, Logan Lynch, Katie Shaw and Stephanie Miller, the jumpers will make a large impact on a team that is primed to have a break-out season.
 Kyron Foster will be the men's top triple jumper. | |
Foster had a successful season in 2008, just missing a spot at the NCAA Championships after finishing seventh in the triple jump at the NCAA Mideast Championships. Foster scored at both the Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor competitions and will be looked upon to do the same this season.
"Kyron is poised to have a break-out season," Drenth said. "He faced some adverse conditions, being banged up at several championships events, and he was able to compete at a high level at all of the events. He is really beginning to come off the charts athletically."
Lynch finished fourth at the Big Ten Indoor Championships in the pole vault in 2008. A faster, stronger Lynch looks primed to improve upon that heading into 2008-09. Amos, the top high jumper for MSU, will have increased expectations heading into the 2008-09 season as he has his eyes set on a NCAA Mideast Championship berth. The women boast two of the top pole vaulters in the Big Ten in Katie Shaw and Stephanie Miller. Shaw qualified for the Mideast Regional after posting her regional qualifying mark at the Big Ten Championships, where she finished sixth. Shaw, entering her junior season, will likely improve upon last year's performance and make a run at a bid to Nationals. Miller just missed scoring for the Spartans at the Big Ten Championships and will likely continue to make an impact this season. Several freshman have high expectations for the Spartans in 2008-09, highlighted by recruits, Becca Buccholtz and Katie Guikema.
"Becca Buccholtz and Katie Guikema will help out our field of jumpers as well this season," Drenth said. "Both are prized recruits, and depending on how they develop, can score big for us down the road."
Throws
The Spartan throwers will be a strong unit heading into the 2008-09 season. Kyle Strotbaum, who holds the school record in both the weight and hammer throw, returns for his final go-around with the green and white. Strotbaum will anchor a talented corps for the men that also includes Anthony Argrusa, the school-record holder in the discus.
Agrusa, a 2008 NCAA Mideast Championships qualifier, will be looked at as the team's top discus thrower, complimenting Strotbaum. John Barrett, Jay Gillespie, a junior national qualifier in the hammer throw, Brad Wentzel and Scott Beals, the school-record holder in the javelin, round out the impact throwers heading into the 2008-09 campaign.
"We feel that our throwers have to potential to put together a great year," Drenth said. "Kyle brings experience and leadership; we expect big things from Beals and Agrusa, who finished the season very strong. Agrusa will likely carry his high level into this season."
The women possess one of the top javelin throwers in the country in Zoe Pelbart. After earning a bid to the NCAA Championships in the javelin as just a freshman last season, Pelbart will be looked at as one of the leaders on this year's squad. Pelbart followed her fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships with a 19th-place showing at nationals.
 Ashley Lawrence will anchor the throws for the women. | |
"Ashley made phenomenal progress last season and she has come back this fall ahead of where she was last year," Drenth said. "She is going to make an impact for us and help us score all year."
The Spartans will open the season this Friday as they host the MSU Invite at Jenison Field House.
Players Mentioned
